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Purchased   by  the   Hamill    Missionary   Fund. 


BV  3457  .N4  D38  1894 
Davis,  J.  D.  1838-1910. 
A  maker  of  new  Japan  Rev. 
Joseph  Hardy  Neesima,  LL.D 


JOSEPH  HARDY  NEESIMA 


JOSEPH    HARDY    NEESIMA    AND    HIS    WIFE 


A   MAKER   OF  NEIV  JAPAN 

Rev.  JOSEPH  HARDY  NEESIMA 

LL.D. 

PRESIDENT   OF   DOSHISHA   UNIVERSITY,  KYOTO 


BY 

REV.  J.  D.  DAVIS,  D.  D. 

PROFESSOR  OF  THEOLOGY  IN  DOSHISHA   UNIVERSITY 


**3For  me  to  live  ie  Cbrfst,  to  ^fe  is  gafn" 

PHIL,  i,  21 

^fQV  none  of  us  livetb  to  bimselft  anb  none  Metb  to  bimself '* 

ROM.  xiv,  7 


IVUb  many  lUusfrations 


FLEMING   H.  REVELL   COMPANY 
New  York  Chicago  Toronto 

Publishers  of  Evangelical  Literature 


Copyriglit,  1894, 
Fleming  H.  Revell  Company. 


PREFACE  TO  THE  FIRST  EDITION 


The  life,  character,  and  work  of  our  brother  who  was  so 
recently  "  called  up  higher"  were  remarkable  and  unique ; 
much  of  his  life  was  spent  in  our  midst  here  in  Kyoto. 
For  over  fourteen  years  it  was  my  privilege  to  be  very 
intimately  associated  with  him,  and  I  have  been  asked  to 
prepare  a  brief  sketch  of  his  life  which  may  perhaps  serve 
as  an  introduction  to  larger  works  which  will  doubtless  be 
published  later  both  in  Japan  and  in  the  United  States. 

In  preparing  this  sketch  I  have  consulted  Dr.  Neesima's 
diary,  written  before  he  left  his  home  for  Hakodate,  while 
on  the  voyage  thither,  and  in  Hakodate,  up  to  the  day  he 
sailed  from  that  place  on  his  great  quest  for  truth,  and 
also  a  copy  of  the  brief  sketch  of  his  life  written  by  the 
late  Miss  Phebe  Fuller  McKeen,  one  of  his  Sabbath-school 
teachers ;  this  sketch  was  written  after  Dr.  Neesima  had 
been  in  Phillips  Academy,  Andover,  Mass.,  about  a  year. 
I  have  quoted  freely  from  the  latter  in  the  first  chapter 
and  the  beginning  of  the  second,  using  Dr.  Neesima's  own 
words  in  broken  English  which  he  wrote  out,  or  which 
his  teacher  above  referred  to  copied  from  his  hps  before 
he  had  had  an  opportunity  to  master  the  English  lan- 
guage. I  have  also  quoted  from  his  journal  written  on 
his  trip  around  the  world  in  1884-85 ;  I  also  quote  freely 
from  letters  received  from  our  brother  during  the  last 
fifteen  years,  and  I  give  in  some  detail  the  history  of  the 

5 


6  Freface  to  the  First  Fdition 

founding  of  the  Doshisha  schools,  the  great  work  of  Dr. 
Neesima's  Hf  e. 

His  presence  with  us  has  been  a  blessing,  and  his  mem- 
ory is  a  benediction  to  us  all.  My  hope  and  prayer  is  that 
God  may  use  this  sketch  for  his  own  glory  in  the  advance- 
ment of  his  Kingdom  in  Japan. 

J.  D.  Davis. 

DosEisHA,  Kyoto,  February,  1890. 


Preface  to  the  Third  Edition 

The  ten  years  which  have  elapsed  since  the  first  American 
edition  appeared  have  been  eventful  ones  in  Japan  and  in  the 
institution  to  which  Dr.  Neesima  gave  his  life. 

The  nationalistic  and  materialistic  waves  which  were  rising 
ten  years  ago,  and  which,  for  a  time,  threatened  to  change  the 
character  and  the  fundamental  Christian  principles  of  the 
Constitution  of  Doshisha,  have  spent  their  force,  and  the  school 
is  established  on  a  permanent  basis,  in  accordance  with  the 
new  Civil  Code  of  Japan.  The  new  Board  of  Directors,  five 
years  ago,  unanimously  adopted  a  resolution  stating  that : 
"  While  it  is  invested  with  the  title  to  the  property  of  the 
institution  and  charged  with  its  management,  it  holds  all  the 
properties  of  the  Company  in  trust  to  carry  out  the  wishes  and 
purposes  of  its  founder,  in  accordance  with  the  unchangeable 
provisions  of  the  Constitution."  The  members  of  the  Board 
also  stated  that  their  understanding  of  the  Christianity  "  which 
is  to  form  the  basis  of  the  moral  teaching  in  all  the  departments 
of  the  Doshisha  school,  under  the  unchangeable  principles  of 
the  Constitution,  is  that  body  of  living  and  fundamental  Chris- 
tian principles  believed  and  accepted  by  the  great  Christian 
Churches  of  the  world." 

Nearly  five  hundred  and  fifty  students  were  enrolled  in  the 
school  during  the  last  school  year,  and  its  Christian  spirit,  its 
discipline  and  its  esprit  de  corps  are  constantly  improving. 
The  school  is  loyal  to  the  memory  and  the  principles  of  its 
founder. 

A  glance,  taken  a  year  ago,  at  the  outcome  of  the  school 
shows  that  it  has  had,  and  is  having  no  small  part  in  the 
moulding  and  regeneration  of  this  nation,  which  is  astonishing 

7 


8  Preface  to  the  Third  Edition 

the  world  by  her  progress  along  all  material  lines  of  advance- 
ment, and  especially  by  her  success  in  the  mighty  struggle  in 
which  she  is  now  engaged  with  Russia.  More  than  five  thou- 
sand students  have  entered  the  school  since  its  beginning.  Of 
these,  nearly  one  thousand  have  been  graduated.  In  March, 
1903,  it  was  found  that,  of  these  graduates,  over  eighty  were 
preaching  the  Gospel,  one  hundred  and  sixty-one  were  teach- 
ing, two  hundred  and  twenty-one  were  engaged  in  business,  one 
hundred  and  fifty-six  were  studying,  twenty-seven  were  officials, 
sixteen  were  editors,  etc. 

Over  one  hundred  graduates  of  the  Girls'  Department  were 
in  homes  of  their  own,  most  of  them  centres  of  Christian  homes, 
while  more  than  seventy  graduates  of  the  Training  School  for 
Nurses  were  engaged  as  nurses. 

About  four  thousand  have  left  the  school  before  graduation, 
and  very  many  of  these  are  engaged  in  useful  work  as  preachers, 
teachers,  etc. 

The  school  looks  forward  into  the  future  with  great  hope  and 
courage.  The  rapidly  increasing  Christian  constituency  of  the 
school,  and  the  fact  that  the  higher  schools  in  Japan  cannot 
receive  more  than  one-third  of  the  graduates  of  the  Govern- 
ment Middle  Schools,  open  a  great  field  for  the  Doshisha,  for 
it  can  furnish  courses  of  study  for  young  men  to  fit  them  for  prac- 
tical work  along  the  lines  which  are  most  needed  now  in  Japan, 
and  at  the  same  time  give  them  the  Christian  teaching  and  the 
moral  influence  they  need  to  make  them  men  of  character  and 
ability. 

The  school  greatly  needs  a  larger  endowment.  It  is  crippled 
for  lack  of  funds  to  do  the  work  which  is  opening  before  it. 
May  the  time  be  hastened  when  some  of  those  who  are  able  to 
endow  the  educational  institutions  of  America  with  their  mil- 
lions, shall  have  their  vision  and  their  love  so  broadened  that 
they  will  gladly  give  to  such  institutions  as  Doshisha,  in  Japan 
and  in  China,  their  much  needed  endowment ! 

With  many  hundreds  of  Chinese  and  Corean  young  men  and 


Preface  to  the  Third  Edition  9 

young  women  sent  to  Japan  for  education,  with  China  and 
Corea  looking  to  Japan  to  guide  and  help  them  up  to  civiliza- 
tion, to  say  nothing  of  the  needs  of  the  forty-five  millions  of  the 
Japanese  people,  before  us,  is  there  any  place  in  the  wide  world 
where  money  used  to  endow  and  equip  such  a  school  as  the 
Doshisha  will  bring  a  larger  return  for  time  and  for  eternity, 
for  the  money  invested  ? 

It  would  seem  to  be  due  to  the  memory  of  the  noble  soul 
who  devoted  his  life  to  the  founding  of  this  institution  that  it 
should  be  helped  in  this  substantial  way  and  thus  realize  Dr. 
Neesima's  hopes  for  it,  and  shine  with  an  ever-increasing  lustre 
like  that  which  surrounds  the  name  of  its  lamented  founder. 

J.  D.  Davis. 

January,  igo^* 


OOI^TEIfTS 


PAGE 

CHAPTER   I. 
Birth,  Early  Education,  and  Start  from  Japan 15 


CHAPTER   H. 
Trials  and  Preparation 29 

CHAPTER   HI. 
Laying  Foundations 47 

CHAPTER   IV. 
Marriage,  Trials,  and  Work 61 

CHAPTER   V. 
Broadening  Plans,  Tour  Abroad 85 

CHAPTER   VI. 
Last  Days,  Death,  and  Burial 109 

CHAPTER   VIL 
Tributes  and  Lessons 119 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTEATIONS 


Joseph  Hardy  Neesima  and  His  Wipe Frontispiece 

The  Sacred  Mountain Facing  page    16 


Neesima  in  Hakodate,  1864 

Neesima  Dressed  as  a  Servant 

Hon.  Alpheus  Hardy 

Neesima's  Wife  and  Mother 

First  Theological  Hall,  Doshisha  University  . 

Recitation  Hall,  Doshisha  University 

Library  Hall,  Doshisha  University 

Science  Hall,  Doshisha  University 

Clark  Theological  Hall,  Doshisha  University. 

New  Chapel 

Neesima's  Eesidence 

Neesima's  Study 

First  Class  in  Doshisha 

Last  Resting-place 


22 

24 

32 

62 

67 

74 

86 

92 

100 

110 

124 

136 

148 

154 


Neesima's  Coat  of  Arms. 


I 

BIRTH,  EARLY  EDUCATION,  AND  START 
FROM  JAPAN 


13 


"Now  the  Lord  said  unto  Ahram,  Get  thee  out  of  thy  country,  and 
from  thy  kindred,  and  from  thy  father's  house,  unto  the  land  that  I  will 
show  thee." — Genesis  xii.  1. 

"  God  moves  in  a  mysterious  icay 
His  wonders  to  xjerform." 

COWPER. 

"Faith  is  nothing  else  hut  the  soul's  venture." 

W.  Bridge. 

"  Bashly, 
And  praised  he  rashness  for  it — let  us  Tcnow, 
Our  indiscretion  sometimes  serves  us  well. 
When  our  deep  plots  do  pall;  and  that  should  teach  us, 
There's  a  divinity  that  shapes  our  ends, 
Bough-hew  them  how  tve  tvill." 

Shakespeare. 


U 


CHAPTER  I 

BIRTH,  EARLY  EDUCATION,  AND  START  FROM  JAPAN 

The  long  sleep  of  the  island  empire  was  broken.  The 
fleet  of  "  barbarian  "  ships  which  cast  anchor  in  the  Bay 
of  Yedo  on  that  Sabbath  morning,  July  7,  1853,  under 
command  of  Commodore  Perry,  finally  caused  the  nation 
which  had  been  closed  for  two  hundred  and  fifty  years 
to  open  its  gates  to  the  world.  There  followed  a  develop- 
ment along  lines  of  material  progress  more  rapid  than  the 
world  had  ever  before  witnessed.  Japan  sent  her  keenest 
statesmen  to  search  through  the  enhghtened  nations  of 
the  world  for  the  best  they  could  find,  and  tried  to  advance 
as  far  in  thirty  years  as  the  nations  of  the  West  had  done 
in  as  many  decades.  God  touched  the  heart  of  one  young 
man  among  the  many  thousands  in  the  Eastern  capital, 
and  fitted  him  to  bear  a  conspicuous  part  in  that  moral 
revolution  which  is  needed  as  the  counterpart  of  the  ex- 
ternal revolution,  and  without  which  the  rapid  material 
progress  cannot  be  lasting. 

Mr.  Neesima  was  born  in  Yedo,  January  14, 1843,  Jap- 
anese old  style.  According  to  the  Western  mode  of  reck- 
oning it  was  February  12,  1843.  He  was  a  samurai,  one 
of  the  retainers  of  a  daimio  of  the  province  of  Kod- 
zuke,  the  castle  town  of  which  was  Annaka,  about  seventy 
miles  from  Tokyo.  He  was  born  in  Tokyo,  in  the  house 
of  Itakura,  a  prince  of  this  province.    His  father  (Neesima 

15 


16  Joseph  Hardy  N'eesima 

Tamaharu)  was  writing-master  of  the  prince's  house,  and 
served  also  as  steward,  having  charge  of  the  private  ser- 
vants and  attendants  of  the  prince. 

The  family  consisted,  besides  himself,  of  a  younger 
brother,  who  died  while  he  was  in  America,  and  four  sis- 
ters, only  one  of  whom  survives.  Mr.  Neesima's  father 
died  in  1886,  but  his  mother  still  survives  (1894),  at  the 
advanced  age  of  eighty-eight  years. 

In  later  years  he  wrote  as  follows  of  his  mother :  "  She 
was  a  very  kind-hearted  woman,  always  ready  to  assist 
her  neighbors,  although  she  found  so  much  to  do  in  her 
own  family.  One  day  she  was  sick  in  bed ;  I  was  very 
anxious  for  her,  and  wished  to  procure  some  remedy, 
though  she  had  something  from  the  doctor.  So  I  went 
to  the  temple  and  prayed  to  the  god  that  he  would  cure 
my  mother ;  I  bought  a  httle  bit  of  cake,  which  was  a 
portion  of  the  morning  offering,  and  gave  it  to  her  for  a 
remedy,  hoping  earnestly  that  it  might  do  some  good  to 
her.  I  knew  not,  indeed,  whether  nature  cured  her,  or 
whether  her  will  or  faith  in  the  god  made  her  whole,  but 
she  became  better  soon  after  she  received  that  cake.  She 
truly  believed  that  the  god  had  granted  my  earnest  request 
for  her,  and  restored  her  health  so  soon.  I  had  done  the 
same  thing  for  my  neighbors,  and  was  often  successful  in 
curing  them." 

The  above  extract  and  the  one  which  follows  show  the 
religious  nature  of  the  boy,  and  his  faithfulness,  although 
he  early  learned  to  distrust  the  gods  of  his  fathers.  "  I  was 
obedient  to  my  parents,  and,  as  they  early  taught  me  to  do, 
served  gods  made  by  hand  with  great  reverence.  I  strictly 
observed  the  days  of  my  ancestors  and  departed  friends, 
and  we  went  to  the  graveyards  to  worship  their  spirits. 
I  often  rose  up  early  in  the  morning,  went  to  a  temple 
which  was  at  least  three  and  a  half  miles  from  home, 


%. 


Birth  J  Early  Uducationj  and  Start  from  Japan     17 

"where  I  worshiped  the  gods,  and  returned  promptly,  reach- 
ing home  before  breakfast.  I  did  that  not  only  because 
I  expected  some  blessing  from  the  gods,  but  that  I  might 
receive  praise  from  my  parents  and  neighbors." 

The  coming  of  Commodore  Perry  when  he  was  ten 
years  old  quite  stirred  young  Neesima's  heart.  Of  this 
he  wrote :  "Although  I  was  then  quite  young,  yet  I  desired 
to  be  a  brave  soldier  or  a  man  of  honor,  like  those  whom  I 
found  so  often  in  our  ancient  history.  I  frequently  went 
to  the  temple  of  the  god  of  war,  prayed  sincerely  that  he 
would  give  me  strength,  and  often  performed  very  foolish 
ceremonies  for  his  service.  Once,  when  I  was  reading  a 
life  of  a  Chinese  hero,  I  came  across  a  famous  phrase 
which  he  proclaimed  when  he  quitted  the  sword-exer- 
cise :  '■  A  sword  is  only  designed  to  slay  a  single  man,  but 
I  am  going  to  learn  to  kill  ten  thousand  enemies.'  That  is, 
he  was  inclined  to  study  some  work  of  strategy.  Though 
I  was  not  able  to  measure  my  own  quality,  yet  I  desired 
to  follow  his  example,  and  wished  to  kill  many  thousands 
of  enemies,  not  by  a  sword,  but  by  strategy.  This  thought 
helped  me  to  quit  sword-exercise  and  to  confine  myself 
entirely  to  study.  I  studied  very  diligently,  and  often 
went  to  hed  after  cock-crow^ 

The  quotations  in  the  sketch  which  foUows  on  the  next 
few  pages  were  written  in  imperfect  EngHsh  before  he  had 
been  in  America  a  year,  and  are  taken  from  "  The  Story 
of  Neesima,"  written  by  Miss  Phebe  F.  McKeen.  About 
the  time  he  was  sixteen  years  old  he  was  engaging  in 
the  study  of  the  Chinese  language  with  great  enthusiasm 
when  his  prince  "  picked  up  me  to  write  his  daily  book ; 
although  it  would  not  had  been  my  desire,  I  was  obliged 
to  go  up  his  office."  A  new  light  dawned  upon  him  about 
this  time.  "A  day  my  comrade  sent  me  a  Atlas  of  United 
States,  which  was  written  in  Chinese  letter  by  some 


18  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

American  minister.  I  read  it  many  times,  and  I  was 
wondered  so  much  as  my  brain  would  melted  out  of  my 
head,  because  I  liked  it  very  much  j  picking  one  presi- 
dent, building  free  schools,  poor-houses,  house  of  correc- 
tion, and  machine-working,  and  so  forth,  and  I  thought 
that  a  government  of  every  country  must  be  as  President 
of  United  States.  And  I  murmured  myself  that,  O  gover- 
nor of  Japan  !  why  you  keep  down  us,  as  a  dog  or  a  pig  ? 
We  are  people  of  Japan  5  if  you  govern  us,  you  must  love 
us  as  your  children.  From  that  time  I  wished  to  learn 
American  knowledge,  but,  alas!  I  could  not  got  any 
teacher  to  learn  it.  Although  I  would  not  like  to  learn 
Holland,  I  was  obliged  to  learn  it,  because  so  many  of  my 
countrymen  understood  to  read  it." 

But  it  was  difficult  for  him  to  find  time  for  the  study  of 
Dutch.  Once  when  his  prince  had,  for  the  second  time, 
caught  him  running  away  from  the  office  to  go  to  his 
Dutch  teacher,  and  had  given  him  a  flogging  for  it,  he 
asked :  '^  ^  Why  you  run  out  from  here  ? '  Then  I  answered 
him  that  ^I  wish  to  learn  foreign  knowledge,  because 
foreigners  have  got  best  knowledge,  and  I  hope  to  under- 
stand very  quickly ;  therefore,  though  I  know  I  must  stay 
here  and  reverence  your  law,  my  soul  went  to  my  master's 
house  to  learn  it,  and  my  body  was  obhged  to  go  thither 
too.'  Then  he  said  to  me  very  kindly,  'You  can  write 
Japan  very  well,  and  you  can  learn  yourself  enough  with 
it ;  if  you  don't  run  away  from  here  any  more,  I  will  give 
you  more  wages.  With  what  reason  will  you  like  foreign 
knowledge  ?  Perhaps  it  will  mistake  yourself.'  I  said  to 
him  sooner, '  Why  will  it  mistake  myself  ?  I  guess  every 
one  must  take  some  knowledge.  If  a  man  has  not  any 
knowledge,  I  will  worth  him  as  a  dog  or  a  pig.'  Then  he 
laughed  and  said  me,  '  You  are  a  stable  boy.' " 

This  was  not  the  only  time  that  thirst  for  knowledge 


Birihj  Early  Education,  and  Start  from  Japan     19 

brought  liim  both  ridicule  and  blows.  His  family  and 
acquaintances  thought  him  very  foolish  to  be  craving 
needless  knowledge,  stiU  he  "  never  took  care  to  them/'  and 
"  held  his  stableness  very  fast."  His  work  increased,  how- 
ever, so  that  he  had  no  time  for  study,  and  this  cost  him 
"  many  musings  in  my  head  "  j  and  at  last  he  became  fairly 
sick  with  thwarted  purposes  and  unsatisfied  longings. 
After  various  efforts  to  cure  him,  his  physician  told  him, 
"  Your  sickness  comes  from  your  mind ;  you  must  try  to 
destroy  your  warm  mind,  and  must  take  walk  for  the 
healthfulness  of  your  body,  and  it  would  be  more  better 
than  many  medicine."  "  My  prince  gave  me  plenty  times 
to  feed  my  weakness,  and  my  father  gave  me  some  money 
to  play  myself  5  "  all  of  which  he  devoted  to  the  study  of 
Dutch.  "A  small  ^  Book  of  Nature,'  which  fell  into  his 
hands,  delighted  him  so  much  that  it  proved  "  more  better 
to  my  sickness  than  doctor's  medicines." 

So  health  came  back,  and  with  it  came  the  busy  days 
and  studious  nights.  In  his  "  Book  of  Nature  "  he  met  with 
some  things  he  was  unable  to  understand,  because  he  had 
never  studied  arithmetic;  so  he  went  to  an  arithmetic 
school  until  he  had  mastered  enough  to  go  through  his 
'^ Book  of  Nature"  intelligently.  Here  are  some  reflections 
of  this  young  seeker  after  knowledge  in  his  own  words : 
"  Some  day  I  went  to  the  seaside  of  Yedo,  hoping  to  see 
the  view  of  the  sea.  I  saw  largest  man-of-war  of  Dutch 
lying  there,  and  she  seemed  to  me  as  a  castle  or  as  a  bat- 
tery, and  I  thought,  too,  that  she  would  be  strong  enough 
to  fight  with  enemy.  While  I  look  upon  her,  one  reflec- 
tion came  upon  my  head,  that  we  must  open  navy,  because 
my  country  is  surrounded  by  water,  and  if  foreigners  fight 
to  my  country,  we  must  fight  with  them  at  sea.  But  I 
made  other  reflection,  too :  that,  since  foreigners  trade, 
price  of  everything  get  high,  the  country  get  poor  5  there- 


20  Joseph  Hardy  N'eesima 

fore,  because  the  countrymen  don't  understand  to  do  trade 
with  foreigners,  therefore  we  must  know  to  do  trade,  and 
we  must  learn  foreign  knowledge.  But  the  government's 
law  neglected  all  my  thoughts,  and  I  cried  out  myself, 
Why  government  ?  why  not  let  us  be  free  ?  why  let  us  be 
as  a  bird  in  a  cage  or  as  a  rat  in  a  bag  ?  '^ 

So  he  set  to  work  in  a  government  marine  school 
whenever  he  could  get  away  from  his  work,  seeking  in- 
formation which  he  might  tui-n  to  account  for  his  country 
in  the  future.  He  had  just  made  a  good  beginning  in 
navigation  when  night  study  injiu'ed  his  eyes  so  that  he 
was  obliged  to  leave  books  entirely  for  a  year  and  a  half, 
"  which  would  not  come  again  in  my  life."  He  had  hardly 
recovered  from  this  trouble  so  as  to  resume  his  place  in 
his  prince's  office  when  he  was  beset  with  measles,  and 
his  eyes,  in  consequence,  "  began  to  spoil  again,"  so  that  he 
was  obliged  to  ''  spend  many  times  very  vainly."  When 
he  did  begin  to  use  his  eyes  again,  however,  it  was  to 
some  purpose.  "  A  day  I  visited  my  friend,  and  I  found 
out  small  Holy  Bible  in  his  library,  that  was  written 
by  some  American  minister  in  China  language  and  had 
shown  only  the  most  remarkable  events  of  it.  I  lend  it 
from  him  and  read  it  at  night.  I  was  afraid  the  savage 
country's  law,  which  if  I  read  the  Bible  will  cross,"  i.e., 
crucify,  "  my  whole  family." 

This  abridgement  of  the  Bible  contained  httle  but  the 
grand  facts  of  creation  and  redemption,  and  these  were 
entirely  new  to  this  earnest  young  soul  who  pored  over 
its  pages.  The  opening  sentence  of  this  book  was :  "  In 
the  beginning  God  created  the  heavens  and  the  earth." 
He  says :  "  I  put  down  the  book  and  look  around  me,  say- 
ing, Who  made  me  ?  my  parents  1  No,  my  God.  God 
made  my  parents  and  let  them  make  me.  Who  made  my 
table  ?  a  carpenter  ?    No,  my  God.     God  let  trees  grow 


Birth,  Early  Education,  and  Start  from  Japan     21 

upon  the  earth ;  although  a  carpenter  made  up  this  table, 
it  indeed  came  from  trees;  then  I  must  be  thankful  to 
God,  I  must  believe  him,  and  I  must  be  upright  against 
him."  He  at  once  recognized  his  Maker's  claim  to  love 
and  obedience,  and  began  to  yield  them ;  he  prayed,  "  Oh, 
if  you  have  eyes,  look  upon  me ;  if  you  have  ears,  listen 
for  me."  It  was  a  long  time  after  this,  however,  that  he 
first  learned  to  pray  as  a  man  talketh  with  his  friend. 

From  this  time  his  "  mind  was  fulfilled  to  read  English 
Bible,"  and  he  ^^  burned  to  find  some  teacher  or  mission- 
ary "  who  could  teach  him. 

His  father  was  distui-bed  by  his  boy's  new  notions,  and 
certain  that  he  would  get  the  whole  family  into  trouble  j 
and  on  asking  permission  of  his  prince  and  his  parents  to 
go  to  Hakodate,  where  he  hoped  to  meet  some  English- 
man or  American,  he  got  not  only  a  refusal,  but  a  flog- 
ging. Still  "  my  stableness  did  not  destroy  by  their  ex- 
postulations." He  next  applied  to  a  relative  of  his  prince, 
a  noble  higher  in  authority  and  rank  than  he,  and  got 
leave  from  him  to  go  in  one  of  his  vessels  to  Hakodate. 
Now  he  had  gained  his  point,  neither  his  father  nor  his 
prince  could  prevent  him. 

This  was  in  March,  1864,  and  when  he  heard  this  news 
he  exclaimed,  ^^  Oh,  heaven  does  not  cast  me  off ;  the  great 
point  of  my  business  is  in  this  one  thing,"  and  he  leaped 
for  joy.  He  went  to  his  room,  packed  such  of  his  belong- 
ings as  he  desired  to  take  with  him,  but  he  could  not  sleep 
at  all  till  morning;  and  on  March  11th  (O.  S.),  with  great 
pain,  but  with  a  resolute  heart,  he  left  his  family  in  tears 
and  started  on  his  search  for  truth,  "not  thinking  that 
when  money  was  gone,  how  would  I  eat  and  dress  myseK, 
but  only  casting  myself  on  the  providence  of  God." 

On  the  13th  the  ship  sailed  away  from  the  harbor,  and 
he  was  on  the  great  ocean.     He  had  told  his  mother  that 


22  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

he  would  be  gone  a  year,  lie  thought,  but  he  little  sus- 
pected then  that  it  would  be  more  than  ten  years  before 
he  would  again  see  his  native  city,  and  look  into  the  faces 
of  those  he  loved.  His  diary  for  the  next  seven  weeks  is 
intensely  interesting.  The  sailing-junk  in  which  he  went 
stopped  at  many  of  the  principal  towns  along  the  coast,  as 
Uraga,  Sendai,  Kumagasaki,  etc.,  to  survey  the  harbors  or 
to  escape  storms.  Our  young  voyager  was  now  twenty- 
one  years  old,  and  he  made  good  use  of  his  time  in  seek- 
ing for  all  the  information  possible  about  each  of  these 
places.  His  diary  contains  a  minute  description  of  each 
one  of  them,  a  map  of  the  harbor,  the  governor's  name, 
the  number  of  counties  into  which  the  province  is  divided, 
and,  if  a  castle  town,  the  condition  of  the  castle,  and  the 
history  of  the  province;  also  the  size  of  the  town,  its 
taxes,  whether  light  or  heavy,  the  productions  of  the  place, 
what  kinds  of  woods  are  produced,  what  kinds  of  fish  are 
exported,  etc. 

He  is  sui'prised  at  the  great  abundance  of  the  rice- 
whisky,  or  sake,  which  was  retailed  at  three  cents  a  quart. 
There  was  one  other  item  which  he  recorded  in  this  diary 
concerning  these  places  which  I  wish  those  foreigners  who, 
after  a  brief  residence  in  Japan,  go  home  and  report  that 
its  morality  is  superior  to  that  of  Christian  lands,  could 
read  or  see  for  themselves.  His  picture  of  the  number 
of  prostitutes  in  these  trading- towns  is  a  fearful  one,  too 
fearful,  some  of  it,  to  reproduce  here.  In  one  of  these 
towns  he  says  there  were  from  two  to  four  of  these  women 
in  each  house  in  the  town ;  he  was  greatly  astonished  and 
shocked  at  it  himself,  although  he  freely  indulged  in  sake- 
drinking  with  his  comrades  while  in  these  harbors. 

April  21st  (O.  S.)  he  reached  Hakodate,  then  an  open 
port,  with  English,  American,  and  Russian  consulates  in 
it.    Young  Neesima  was,  however,  doomed  to  disappoint- 


Birth,  Early  Ediicatiorij  and  Start  from  Japan     23 

ment  at  first,  as  he  sought  in  vain  for  any  teacher  of  Eng- 
lish ;  and  his  small  funds  melted  away  very  fast,  and  he 
was  obliged  to  look  about  him  for  means  to  feed  the  outer 
man  as  well  as  the  inner.  In  this  he  was  successful,  as 
he  fell  in  with  P^re  Nikolai,  the  Russian  priest  who  has 
since  so  successfully  taught  the  religion  of  the  Greek 
Church  in  Japan.  Nikolai  was  glad  to  secure  his  services 
as  a  teacher  of  Japanese,  so  he  removed  to  Nikolai's  house 
and  began  his  work. 

He  found  a  few  wide-awake  young  Japanese  among  the 
acquaintances  he  made,  and  among  them  Mr.  Munokite,  a  / 
clerk  in  an  English  store,  who  could  speak  English  toler- 
ably well,  and  who  played  a  most  important  part  in  the 
next  great  act  in  the  drama  of  Neesima's  life.  Meeting 
with  these  young  friends  from  time  to  time,  he  told  them 
of  his  intense  desire  to  learn  foreign  knowledge,  and  they 
encouraged  him.  But  on  account  of  the  great  difficulties 
connected  with  learning  it  in  Japan,  he  conceived  the  idea 
of  leaving  the  country  altogether.  The  more  he  saw  of. 
his  native  land  the  more  he  longed  to  be  able  to  "bring  a 
light  into  the  darkness  "  5  but  it  was  a  very  serious  ques- 
tion. If  he  left  the  country  death  would  be  his  only  wel- 
come back.  To  go  was  to  adventure  himself,  a  penniless 
wanderer  with  an  unknown  tongue,  into  a  vast,  mysterious 
world  of  which  he  only  knew  that  truth  was  there.  Worst 
of  aU,  it  would  bring  grief  and  fear,  possibly  danger  and 
death,  into  the  home  he  loved.  He  spent  much  time  in 
thinking  over  this  momentous  question;  he  discharged 
his  duty  as  a  teacher  to  P^re  Nikolai  faithfuUy,  and  as  his 
employer  went  every  day  to  the  Russian  hospital  to  have 
his  eyes  treated,  young  Neesima  went  with  him,  and  in 
his  diary  he  describes  in  minute  detail  all  the  appoint- 
ments of  this  hospital,  its  buildings,  its  beds,  its  diet,  its 
medicines,  and  most  of  all,  the  fact  that  the  poor  were 


24  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

treated  without  money  and  without  price.  All  this  made 
a  deep  impression  upon  his  mind ;  and  the  more  he  studied 
^  over  the  great  question  the  more  he  felt  impelled  to  leave 
his  country.  He  even  gradually  found  reasons  to  justify 
him  in  going,  notwithstanding  the  strong  filial  ties  which 
bound  him  to  his  parents  and  friends.  He  says:  "One 
reflection  came  upon  my  head,  that,  although  my  parents 
made  and  fed  me,  I  belong  indeed  to  Heavenly  Father  j 
therefore  I  must  believe  him  and  I  must  run  in  his  way  5 
then  I  began  to  search  some  vessel  to  get  out  from  the 
country." 

If  every  soul  was  as  loyal  to  truth  as  was  this  one,  as 
earnestly  seeking  it,  as  loyally  obeying  and  following  it, 
this  world  would  soon  become  the  very  gate  of  heaven. 
His  young  English-speaking  friend  finally  secured  for  him 
a  passage  in  an  American  schooner,  the  "  Berhn,"  Captain 
Savory,  bound  for  Shanghai.  It  was  necessary  to  get 
away  with  the  utmost  secrecy.  He  made  all  his  arrange- 
ments, picked  out  a  smaU  bundle  of  his  clothes  which  he 
could  carry  on  his  back ;  he  had  a  letter  wi'itten,  purport- 
ing to  come  from  his  brother  in  Tokyo,  saying  that  his 
father  was  very  sick,  and  that  he  must  hurry  home.  Prov- 
identially, Pere  Nikolai  had  gone  away  out  of  town,  but 
he  showed  the  letter  to  his  servants  and  to  some  others, 
and  removed  aU  his  goods  to  a  friend's  house.  Toward 
evening  he  took  his  little  bundle  of  clothes  and  met  his 
three  friends  for  the  last  time.  They  had  a  supper  to- 
gether, and  passed  around  the  sake-cup  in  token  of  friend- 
ship. Neesima  wrote  a  short  poem,  aU  wished  him  well, 
expressed  a  desire  to  accompany  him,  and  bade  him  good- 
by.  About  midnight  our  young  hero,  dressed  as  a  servant, 
with  his  bundle  on  his  back,  sallied  out  into  the  darkness, 
following  one  of  his  friends,  who  was  dressed  as  a  samurai, 
with  his  two  swords  in  plain  sight.     They  wended  their 


NEESIMA  DRESSED  AS  A   SERVANT 


Birthj  Early  Education^  and  Start  from  Japan     25 

way  by  back  streets  down  to  the  water^s  edge,  where  his 
friends  had  a  small  boat  waiting  for  him ;  he  was  placed 
in  the  bottom  of  the  boat  and  covered  up,  with  orders  to 
appear  as  a  woman  who  was  being  taken  out  to  the  ship, 
if  they  were  hailed.  A  whispered  word  of  parting,  hushed 
footsteps,  the  muffled  dip  of  an  oar,  and  the  true-hearted 
young  patriot  who  went  to  seek  light  and  blessing  for  his 
country  had  stolen  away  from  her  shores  like  a  culprit, 
and  was  soon  on  board  the  American  schooner,  the  date 
of  his  embarkation  being  July  18, 1864. 


II 

TRIALS  AND  PREPARATION 


PJ 


**  Wlierein  ye  greatly  rejoice,  though  now  for  a  little  while,  if  need  he, 
ye  have  been  put  to  grief  in  manifold  temptations,  that  the  proof  of  your 
faith,  being  more  precious  than  gold  that  perisheth  though  it  is  proved 
hy  fire,  might  be  found  unto  praise  and  glory  and  honor  at  the  revelation 
of  Jesus  Christ." — 1  Pet.  i.  6,  7. 

"A  raveled  rainbow  overhead 
Lets  doivn  to  life  its  varying  thread — 
Lovers  blue,  joy's  gold,  and,  fair  between, 
Mope's  shifting  light  of  emerald-green  ; 
While  either  side,  in  deep  relief, 
A  crimson  pain,  a  violet  grief! 
Wouldst  thou  amid  their  gleaming  hues 
Clutch  after  those  and  these  refuse  ? 
Believe !  as  thy  beseeching  eyes 
Follow  their  lines  and  sound  the  shies, 
TJiere,  where  the  fadeless  glories  shine, 
An  unseen  angel  twists  the  twine ; 
And  be  thou  sure,  tvhat  tint  soe'er 
The  sunbeam's  broken  rays  may  ivear. 
It  needs  them  all,  that,  broad  and  white, 
God's  love  may  weave  the  perfect  light." 

Mrs.  a.  D.  T.  Whitney. 

"  Through  blach  tvaves  and  stormy  blast. 
And  out  of  the  fog-wreath  dense  and  dun, 
Guided  and  held  shall  the  vessel  run, 
Gain  the  fair  haven,  night  being  past, 
And  anchor  in  the  sun." 

Susan  Coolidge. 


^8 


CHAPTER  II 

TRIALS  AND  PREPARATION 

Our  young  friend  was  cordially  received  on  board  the 
schooner  by  the  kind-hearted  captain,  but  he  could  not 
sleep  any  that  night,  and  in  the  early  morning  Japanese 
officials  were  seen  coming  to  search  the  ship,  to  make  sure 
that  no  Japanese  was  secreted  on  board.  The  captain  hid 
Mr.  Neesima  in  his  own  private  room  and  locked  the  door. 
The  search  was  completed,  but  our  hero  was  not  discov- 
ered, and  the  ship  weighed  anchor,  spread  her  sails,  and 
moved  out  to  sea. 

And  now  our  young  exile  began  to  think  what  he  had 
done.  He  had  written  a  long  letter  to  his  prince,  telling 
him  of  his  decision ;  he  had  written  another  to  his  home 
friends,  urging  them  not  to  mourn ;  but  as  he  passed  out 
to  sea,  and  saw  the  mountains  of  his  native  land  fade 
from  his  vision  and  disappear,  very  sad  thoughts  filled 
his  heart.  To  add  to  his  anguish,  he  was  expected  to  do 
servile  work  on  the  ship,  and  as  he  had  never  done  any 
such  work,  his  samurai  blood  rebelled.  Once  or  twice, 
when  he  was  rudely  ordered  by  the  sailors  to  perform 
some  menial  task,  he  thought  of  seizing  his  sword  and 
cutting  down  the  men  who  seemed  to  be  insulting  him ; 
but  as  he  reflected  that  he  could  not  thus  realize  his  great 
pui^pose,  he  calmed  his  passions  and  meekly  submitted  to 
the  indignity.     Again,  he  had  less  than  four  dollars  in 

29 


30  Joseph  Hardy  Keesima 

money  when  lie  came  on  board,  and  this  ship  would  only 
go  as  far  as  Shanghai.     What  should  he  do  then  ? 

He  had  a  very  disagreeable  passage  to  Shanghai,  and 
he  was  there  for  ten  days  in  great  doubt  and  fear  lest  he 
should  be  betrayed  and  taken  back  to  Japan ;  but  finally 
he  had  the  joy  of  finding  an  American  vessel,  the  "Wild 
Rover,"  bound  for  Boston.  By  much  effort  he  succeeded 
in  making  the  captain  understand  that  he  would  be  glad 
to  do  anything,  and  ask  no  other  pay  than  to  be  taken  to 
America.  His  own  words  are :  "  I  begged  him,  if  I  get  to 
America,  please  let  me  go  to  a  school,  and  take  good  edu- 
cation." So  the  captain  took  him  as  his  own  servant, 
dressed  liim  in  foreign  costume,  gave  him  the  name  Jo, 
and  on  the  voyage  taught  him  navigation  and  English. 

The  voyage  was  long  and  tedious.  The  "Wild  Rover" 
sailed  along  the  coast  of  China  to  Manila  and  Saigon, 
trading  here  and  there  for  eight  months,  before  turning 
toward  home.  While  they  lay  in  the  harbor  of  Hong 
Kong,  Mr.  Neesima  found  a  New  Testament  in  Chinese ; 
he  felt  that  he  must  have  it,  but  how  should  he  get  it, 
since  he  had  promised  to  ask  the  captain  for  no  money  ? 
He  thought  of  his  sword,  and  he  finally  sold  it  and  bought 
the  New  Testament. 

At  last  sails  were  set  for  the  West,  and  in  four  months 
from  that  time  the  land  of  promise  dawned  upon  our 
wanderer. 

During  his  life  of  a  year  on  the  "  Wild  Rover,"  as  Mr. 
Neesima  told  the  writer,  he  began  to  read  his  New  Testa- 
ment in  the  Chinese  language.  He  could  only  speU  out 
the  meaning,  but  he  began  at  Matthew  and  read  on  in 
course  through  Matthew,  Mark,  and  Luke,  and  in  the 
midst  of  the  voyage  he  came  to  the  sixteenth  verse  of  the 
third  chapter  of  John :  "  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he 
gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  beheveth  on 


Trials  and  Preparation  3% 

him  shall  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life,"  and  this 
made  a  very  deep  impression  upon  him,  and  he  felt  that 
this  was  just  such  a  Saviour  as  he  needed. 

His  faith  and  patience  were  sorely  tried  on  the  long 
voyage,  and  when  he  reached  the  harbor  of  Boston  it 
seemed  to  him  as  if  he  were  to  be  baffled.  Directly  after 
coming  into  port  at  Boston,  the  captain  hurried  away  to 
see  his  friends,  and  for  ten  weeks  young  Neesima  was  left, 
"  with  rough  and  godless  men  who  kept  the  ship,"  doing 
hard,  heavy  work,  such  as  he  had  never  been  accustomed 
to.  Besides  this,  everybody  he  met  on  the  wharf  fright- 
ened him ;  they  told  him :  "  Nobody  on  shore  will  relieve 
you,  because  since  the  war  the  price  of  everything  got 
high ;  ah,  you  must  go  to  sea  again."  "  I  thought,  too," 
he  says,  "  that  I  must  work  pretty  well  for  my  eating  and 
dressing,  and  I  could  not  get  in  any  schools  before  I  could 
earn  money  to  pay  to  a  school.  When  such  thoughts 
pressed  my  brain  I  could  not  work  very  well ;  I  could  not 
read  book  very  cheerfully,  and  I  only  looked  around  my- 
self a  long  time  as  a  lunatic." 

He  made  one  great  discovery,  however,  during  this 
tedious  waiting-time.  The  captain  had  given  him  a  little 
money  to  amuse  himself  with  on  shore,  and  he  had 
bought  a  copy  of  "  Robinson  Crusoe,"  which  he  found  in 
a  second-hand  book-store  on  Washington  Street,  and 
"Robinson  Crusoe"  first  taught  him  that  he  might  pray 
to  his  Heavenly  Father  as  to  a  present,  personal  friend ; 
and  so  every  night,  after  he  went  to  bed,  he  "  prayed  to  the 
God,  Please  don't  cast  me  away  into  miserable  condition. 
Please  let  me  reach  my  great  aim." 

How  little  we  know  when  we  pray  how  long  our  Hea- 
venly Father  has  been  preparing  to  answer  our  prayers  ! 
What  comfort  there  is  in  the  thought  that  both  we  and 
our  prayers,  our  needs  and  their  answers,  were  all  present 


32  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

with  God  when  he  made  his  plan,  and  that  he  has  been 
preparing  from  all  eternity  to  answer  onr  prayers  in  the 
best  way. 

The  God  who  had  turned  this  boy's  heart  away  from 
idols  J  who  had  inspired  him  to  "  feel  after  him,  if  haply 
he  might  find  him'^j  who  had  said  to  him,  "Get  thee 
out  of  thy  country,  and  from  thy  kindred,  and  from  thy 
father's  house,  unto  the  land  that  I  will  show  thee  " — this 
same  God  had  not  neglected  to  prepare  a  place  for  him 
in  the  land  of  promise  to  which  he  had  led  him.  He  had 
brought  the  young  wanderer  across  the  seas  in  a  ship  be- 
longing to  one  of  his  own  children,  straight  to  the  hands 
of  one  whose  joy  it  was  to  spend  his  strength  and  his 
wealth  in  the  service  of  his  Master. 

When  the  owner  of  the  ship,  the  Hon.  Alpheus  Hardy, 
was  finally  told,  by  the  captain,  of  this  bright  young 
Japanese  who  had  thus  come  in  search  of  truth,  he  at 
once  declared  that  he  would  provide  some  way  for  his 
support.  "  When  I  first  heard  these  things  from  my  cap- 
tain," said  Mr.  Neesima,  "I  jumped  for  joy  j  my  eyes  was 
fulfilled  with  many  tears,  because  I  was  very  thankful 
to  him,  and  thought,  'God  will  not  forsake  me.'"  Mr. 
Hardy  met  the  young  Japanese  later,  and  asked  him  what 
his  name  was.  "  The  sailors  called  me  Jo,"  was  the  reply. 
"  You  are  well  named,"  said  Mr.  Hardy  j  "  God  has  sent 
you  to  be  a  savior  to  your  people."  His  benefactor  little 
knew,  when  he  spoke  those  words,  how  much  of  truth 
there  was  in  them. 

Mr.  Hardy's  first  thought  was  to  employ  him  as  a  house 
servant,  but  he  soon  found  that  he  was  not  fitted  for  this  j 
and  in  the  meantime  Mrs.  Hardy  had  asked  him  to  write 
out  the  reasons  why  he  had  left  his  native  land  and  come 
to  America.  He  did  so  in  his  broken  English,  and  when 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hardy  read  his  story  they  felt  that  God  had 


HON.   ALPHEUS   HARDY 


Trials  and  Preparation  33 

sent  him,  and  they  accepted  the  sacred  trust,  and  decided 
to  give  him  a  thorough  education. 

The  following  is  perhaps  the  first  account  which  has 
ever  been  pubUshed  of  the  struggle  through  which  this 
benefactor  of  Mr.  Neesima  passed  when  he  was  obhged  to 
give  up  his  early  life-purpose  to  become  a  minister.  It 
was  wi'itten  by  one  who  heard  the  speech  of  Mr.  Hardy, 
and  was  published  in  the  August  number  of  the  North 
Wisconsin  Evangel  for  1893,  and  quoted  in  the  Congrega- 
tionalist  for  August  31, 1893. 

"  This  friend  of  Joseph  Neesima  and  princely  benefactor 
of  countless  good  causes  told  once  the  following  thrilling 
story  to  the  Psi  Upsilon  Society  at  Amherst  College,  of 
which  he  had  just  been  made  an  honorary  member : 

"  I  am  not  a  college  man,  and  it  was  the  bitter  disappointment  of 
my  life  that  I  could  not  be  one.  I  wanted  to  go  to  college  and 
become  a  minister;  went  to  Phillips  Academy  to  fit.  My  health 
broke  down,  and  in  spite  of  my  determined  hope  of  being  able  to  go 
on,  at  last  the  truth  was  forced  on  me  that  I  could  not.  To  tell  my 
disappointment  is  impossible.  It  seemed  as  if  all  my  hope  and  pur- 
pose and  interest  in  life  were  defeated.  '  I  cannot  be  God's  minister,' 
was  the  sentence  that  kept  rolling  through  my  mind.  When  that 
fact  at  last  became  certain  to  me,  one  evening  alone  in  my  room,  my 
distress  was  so  great  that  I  threw  myself  flat  on  the  floor.  The  voice- 
less cry  of  my  soul  was,  'O  God,  I  cannot  be  thy  minister.'  Then 
there  came  to  me  as  I  lay  a  vision,  a  new  hope,  a  perception  that  I 
could  serve  God  in  business  with  the  same  devotion  as  in  preaching, 
and  that  to  make  money  for  God  might  be  my  sacred  calling.  The 
vision  of  this  service,  and  its  nature  as  a  sacred  ministry,  were  so 
clear  and  joyous  that  I  rose  to  my  feet  and  with  new  hope  in  my 
heart  exclaimed  aloud,  'O  God,  I  can  be  thy  minister!  I  will  go 
back  to  Boston.  I  will  make  money  for  God,  and  that  shall  be  my 
ministry.  From  that  time,'  continued  Mr.  Hardy,  '  I  have  felt  myself 
to  be  as  much  appointed  and  ordained  to  make  money  for  God  as  if 
I  had  been  permitted  to  carry  out  my  own  plan  and  been  ordained  to 
preach  the  Gospel.  I  am  God's  man,  and  the  ministry  to  which  God 
has  called  me  is  to  make  and  administer  money  for  him,  and  I  con- 


34  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

sider  myself  responsible  to  discharge  this  ministry  and  to  give  account 
of  it  to  him.' " 

Mr.  Hardy  placed  young  Neesima  in  Phillips  Academy 
at  Andover,  where  he  made  the  best  use  of  Ms  opportu- 
nities, and  where  for  the  first  time  he  fully  realized  his  sins 
and  publicly  accepted  Christ  as  his  Saviour,  uniting  with 
the  church  of  Christ.  Who  can  doubt,  however,  that  he 
was  accepted  of  God  before  this,  and  that  he  would  have 
been  ready  to  gladly  bow  before  his  Saviour  and  worship 
him  if  he  had  died  in  the  midst  of  his  long  voyage  in 
search  of  truth  ? 

The  following  letter  was  written  by  Mr.  Neesima,  when 
he  had  been  in  America  less  than  a  year,  to  the  Japanese 
friend  who  helped  him  get  away  from  Hakodate. 

"Andover,  February  23,  1866. 
" -Mr.  MimoJcitej 

''  Dear  Sir  : 

"I  am  very  well  through  God's  mercy.  Since  I 
commenced  my  hazardous  adventure  I  have  spent  many 
valuable  days  in  hard  work  -  oh !  sometimes  I  had  very 
miserable  work :  but  this  work  I  did  not  do  for  money, 
but  for  true  knowledge.  When  I  called  on  Him  who 
made  heaven  and  earth  and  sea,  and  all  that  in  them  is, 
my  sorrow  turned  into  joy,  and  my  misery  to  success. 
Oh,  I  may  surely  say  it  is  very  wonderful  and  marvelous 
that  such  success  has  fallen  on  me !  I  passed  through 
many  thousand  miles  of  water  very  safely  without  hurri- 
cane, tempest,  or  any  trouble.  When  I  came  to  Boston, 
the  ship's  owner,  Mr.  Alpheus  Hardy,  and  the  ship's  cap- 
tain, Horace  S.  Taylor,  relieved  me  from  my  miserable 
condition,  and  gave  me  all  things  which  I  needed,  and 
sent  me  to  the  academy  at  Andover,  Mass.,  to  get  an  edu- 
cation, paying  my  board  and  all  expenses. 


Trials  and  Preparation  35 

"  I  came  to  the  house  of  Mr.  Hidden — he  don't  keep 
any  boarder  but  me  only — and  he  and  his  sister  care  for 
me  as  much  as  for  one  of  their  own  family,  and  I  am  very 
much  enjoyed  to  stay  here.  Also  I  find  a  kind  and  reli- 
gious man  in  Mr.  Flint,  a  neighbor  who  was  a  teacher  of 
some  higher  school  for  thirteen  years.  Every  evening 
he  hears  me  recite  in  arithmetic,  that  is  named  Eaton's 
Higher  School  Arithmetic,  and  his  wife  explains  to  me 
the  most  holy  and  valuable  book  in  the  world,  entitled 
the  New  Testament,  and  tells  about  our  Saviour,  Jesus 
Christ,  who  was  sent  down  from  his  Father  to  enlighten 
the  darkness  and  save  sinners.  In  the  academy  I  am 
studying  reading,  spelling,  grammar,  and  the  same  arith- 
metic ',  also  I  have  a  Bible-lesson  every  Sabbath.  All  the 
teachers  and  scholars,  and  many  who  know  about  me,  are 
interested  in  me  and  love  me,  and  some  give  me  things  to 
please  me.  But  these  things  they  don't  do  for  my  sake, 
but  for  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

"  Oh,  dear  friend,  think  you  well  who  is  Christ.  The 
same  is  the  Light  which  shines  on  the  benighted  and 
wicked  world  and  guides  us  unto  the  way  of  salvation. 
The  light  of  candle  is  blown  away,  but  this  is  the  true 
Light  of  eternal  life,  and  we  can  by  no  wise  blow  it  out, 
and  we  may  take  this  life  through  Jesus  Christ.  ^For 
God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten 
Son,  that  whosoever  believe th  on  him  should  not  perish, 
but  have  everlasting  life.  For  God  sent  not  his  Son  into 
the  world  to  condemn  the  world,  but  that  the  world 
through  him  might  believe.' 

"  Oh,  dear  friend,  I  have  nothing  to  repay  your  kindness, 
but  will  send  only,  study  the  Bible,  and  my  photograph. 
Please  care  for  your  health,  and  study  the  book  I  have 
mentioned  above.  Oh,  alas !  it  is  not  the  country's  law 
to  study  the  Bible  and  worship  our  tender  and  merciful 


36  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

Father  wlio  made  ns,  loved  us,  and  gave  his  only  begotten 
Son,  through  whom  we  may  be  saved.  But  the  law  ought 
to  be  broken,  because  it  is  made  by  the  devil,  the  king  of 
the  world.  The  world  was  not  made  by  the  devil,  but  by 
our  true  Father,  who  gave  unto  us  his  true  law.  O  friend, 
whether  then  is  right  in  the  sight  of  God  to  hearken  unto 
the  devil  more  than  unto  God,  please  judge  you. 

"If  the  fierce  devil  persecute  you  for  righteousness^ 
sake,  don't  trouble  yourseK  j  I  am  sure  God  will  protect 
you  from  all  evil,  and  though  your  body  should  be  killed, 
your  soul  would  be  received  unto  him,  and  you  would 
dwell  in  the  brightest  place  with  eternal  life.  I  would 
like,  indeed,  to  go  there  with  you. 

"  Your  truly  friend, 

"Neesima  Simata." 

In  due  time  he  was  ready  for  college,  and  entered  Am- 
herst College,  where  he  was  graduated  in  1870.  The  state- 
ment of  President  Seelye,  when  asked  for  testimonials  for 
Mr.  Neesima,  as  he  was  about  to  return  to  Japan,  will  be  a 
sufficient  comment  upon  his  faithfulness  in  college.  Said 
the  president :  "  You  cannot  gild  goldP 

His  faithfulness  and  thoroughness  as  a  student  are 
shown  by  the  fact  that  he  had  in  his  possession  a  pile  of 
large  books'--nearly  two  feet  high,  which  are  filled  with 
lectures  and  notes  which  he  copied  or  wrote  out  while  he 
was  in  college  and  in  the  theological  seminary. 

He  entered  Andover  Theological  Seminary,  and  in  the 
fall  of  1871,  when  I  was  in  attendance  at  the  meeting  of 
the  American  Board  at  Salem,  Mass.,  just  before  I  sailed 
to  Japan,  Mr.  Neesima  elbowed  his  way  through  the  great 
crowd  and  found  me;  and  when  I  answered  his  eager 
question  by  stating  that  I  was  going  to  Japan,  he  seized 
my  hand,  and  with  tears  in  his  eyes,  told  me  how  glad  he 


Trials  and  Preparation  37 

was  to  meet  me,  and  he  wished  me  a  hearty  God-speed,  and 
said  he  hoped  to  go  back  too  before  long. 

In  the  winter  of  1871-72  the  second  Japanese  embassy, 
consisting  of  Messrs.  Iwakura,  Okiibo,  Kido,  Ito,  Tera- 
shima,  and  Tanaka,  crossed  the  Pacific,  and,  after  being 
snow-bonnd  for  a  week  at  Salt  Lake  City,  finally  reached 
Washington.  The  embassy  at  once  felt  the  need  of  some 
one  to  act  as  interpreter  who  could  also  help  them  in  their 
examination  of  the  institutions  of  these  foreign  lands, 
especially  educational.  Hearing  of  Mr.  Neesima,  who  had 
then  been  in  America  about  seven  years,  they  sent  him  an 
invitation  to  come  and  meet  them  in  Washington.  Then 
the  question  of  how  to  meet  them  arose  in  Mr.  Neesima's 
mind.  It  had  been  the  custom  in  Japan  from  time  im- 
memorial for  a  man  to  bow  to  the  earth  when  meeting  a 
superior,  prostrating  himself  before  him.  Mr.  Neesima 
finally  decided  to  meet  them  in  the  American  way,  and 
went  on  to  Washington.  He  was  most  cordially  received 
by  Mr.  Mori,  the  Japanese  minister  at  Washington. 
Twelve  Japanese  students,  who  were  being  supported  in 
the  United  States  by  the  Japanese  government,  had  been 
summoned  at  the  same  time  to  meet  the  Japanese  com- 
missioner of  education.  They  aU  met  in  one  of  the  par- 
lors of  the  Arlington  House.  The  following  are  extracts 
from  Mr.  Neesima's  letters  written  at  this  time. 

"  Mr.  Mori  said  to  the  commissioner  of  education :  '  Mr. 
Neesima  came  here  at  my  request,  not  as  a  bondman,  but 
with  his  kindness  to  give  you  some  advice  concerning 
education ;  so  you  must  appreciate  his  kindness  and  will- 
ingness to  do  such  a  favor  for  you.  .  .  .  He  is  a  lover  of 
Japan,  but  not  a  slave.'  This  speech  pleased  the  com- 
missioner exceedingly,  and  made  every  one  in  the  room 
look  at  me.  When  he  noticed  me  standing  erect  he  asked 
Mr.  Mori  whether  the  corner-stander  was  Mr.  Neesima. 


38  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

When  he  ascertained  that  it  was,  he  stepped  forward  from 
his  seat,  shook  my  hand,  and  made  a  most  graceful  yet 
most  dignified  bow  to  me,  asking  me  to  be  a  kind  friend 
to  him.  He  bowed  himself  sixty  degrees  from  the  per- 
pendicular, so  I  made  a  like  bow  in  return.  I  could  not 
help  laughing  in  my  heart  that  a  behind  or  corner  stander 
was  so  honored  by  him.  He  gave  me  an  order  to  be  an  in- 
terpreter to  him  when  he  goes  around  the  country  to  ex- 
amine the  schools,  and  to  tell  him  all  about  your  school 
system.  I  told  him  if  I  am  ordered  to  do  this  I  would 
rather  refuse  it,  because  he  should  distinguish  me  from 
the  others  who  received  aid  from  the  government ;  but  if 
I  am  requested  to  do  this  for  a  certain  compensation,  I 
would  gladly  do  any  favor  for  him.  The  commissioner 
told  Mr.  Mori  to  treat  and  receive  me  exactly  as  I  re- 
quested him." 

Three  days  later  he  again  writes  at  the  close  of  a  letter 
to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hardy :  "  My  principal  mission  is  to  write 
an  essay  on  '  The  Universal  Education  of  Japan.'  I  think 
it  is  a  most  important  mission.  It  will  be  handed  to  the 
embassy,  and  probably  may  be  of  some  service  for  opening 
the  country  to  the  light  of  truth  and  life.  Pray  for  this 
untiring  soldier  of  the  blessed  cross,  for  I  feel  my  active 
battle-field  has  come  within  my  sight.  I  am  ready  to 
march  forward,  not  asking  whether  my  powder  is  dried 
or  not,  but  trusting  simply  and  believing  only  that  the 
Lord  of  Hosts  wiU  help  me  to  do  my  duty." 

Again,  two  weeks  later :  ^^  I  have  been  resting  to-day, 
preparing  myself  for  the  coming  Lord's  Day;  for  if  I 
overdo  to-day  I  shall  not  be  able  to  enjoy  the  service  of 
the  Sabbath." 

Mr.  Neesima  now  spent  a  year  with  the  Japanese  em- 
bassy, visiting  all  the  capitals  of  Europe  with  them,  and 
devoting  all  his  energies  to  help  them  gain  the  informa- 


Trials  and  Preparation  39 

tion  they  desired.  His  "  stableness "  and  firm  Christian 
principle  shone  out  during  this  visit  to  Europe.  In  most 
European  countries  the  railroad  trains  run  on  the  Sabbath 
the  same  as  on  any  other  day,  and  the  embassy  often  trav- 
eled on  that  day ;  Mr.  Neesima,  however,  never  traveled 
with  them  on  the  Sabbath.  He  told  the  writer  that  he 
always  stopped  off  Satm^day  night,  alone,  and  followed  on 
after  them  on  Monday.  He  spoke  of  one  of  these  experi- 
ences, when  he  stopped  off  one  Saturday  night,  in  France, 
among  entire  strangers,  and  not  knowing  French,  he  ex- 
pected to  have  a  lonely  day ;  but  he  wandered  about  and 
succeeded  in  finding  a  place  where  a  Christian  service  was 
being  conducted,  and,  entering,  found  it  was  a  communion 
service.  He  remained  and  partook  of  the  communion 
with  them,  and  although  he  could  understand  but  very 
little,  he  spoke  of  it  as  among  the  most  blessed  experiences 
of  his  life. 

By  his  faithfulness  and  his  conscientious  adherence  to 
principle  he  gained  the  confidence  of  these  men,  a  con- 
fidence which  lasted  till  the  day  of  his  death ;  and  when 
he  came  back  to  Japan  and  wished  to  start  his  school, 
these  men  were  at  the  head  of  the  government,  and  to  his 
intimacy  with  them  and  their  firm  confidence  in  him  the 
Doshisha  University  owes  its  existence. 

Mr.  Neesima's  careful  habit  of  looking  into  all  the  de- 
tails of  whatever  came  in  his  way  to  examine,  and  espe- 
cially his  great  interest  in  education,  which  had  led  him  to 
make  a  careful  examination  of  the  common-school  system 
of  the  United  States,  had  prepared  him  to  be  of  invalua- 
ble service  to  the  embassy  and  to  his  country.  He  wrote 
out  a  carefully  prepared  paper,  which  was  taken  as  the 
basis  of  the  report  which  the  embassy  made  on  education, 
and  which  was  afterward  modified  and  introduced  into 
Japan,  and  is  the  foundation  of  the  system  of  education 
in  the  empire  to-day. 


40  Joseph  Hardy  N'eesima 

As  the  time  drew  near  for  tlie  departure  of  the  embassy 
from  Europe,  to  return  home  by  way  of  India,  Mr.  Neesima 
was  pressed  to  accompany  them  to  Japan,  and  it  seemed 
that  it  would  be  almost  impossible  for  him  to  refuse  to  do 
so ;  but  an  attack  of  rheumatism  coming  on  at  this  time, 
and  the  fear  of  becoming  entangled  in  an  official  life,  led 
him  to  remain  behind,  among  strangers,  until  long  after 
the  embassy  had  sailed  for  Japan  5  so  that,  on  his  recov- 
ery, he  returned  to  his  studies  in  Andover. 

He  was  very  retu^ed  and  studious  in  his  manner,  al- 
though his  intense  thirst  for  knowledge  would  lead  him 
to  break  over  his  reserve  and  seek  information  from  his 
fellow-students.  He  was  greatly  afflicted  with  rheumatism 
during  his  last  year  in  the  seminary,  and  suffered  from 
its  effects  at  times  dming  the  rest  of  his  life. 

Being  graduated  in  the  summer  of  1874,  the  questions  of 
his  return  to  Japan,  what  relation  he  should  sustain  to  the 
American  Board,  his  ordination,  and  his  support,  all  came 
up  for  solution.  It  was  finally  decided  that  it  was  best 
that  he  should  receive  ordination  before  leaving  for  Japan, 
and  a  council  of  churches  in  the  State  where  he  had  spent 
ten  years  was  called.  He  passed  a  very  satisfactory  ex- 
amination, and  was  ordained  as  an  evangelist — the  first 
of  his  race  to  take  upon  himself  this  office.  He  was  also 
appointed  a  corresponding  member  of  the  Japan  mission 
of  the  American  Board.  Mr.  Hardy  also  arranged  to 
have  sent  to  Mr.  Neesima  each  year  what  he  needed  for 
his  support,  so  that  he  was  placed  above  anxiety  on  that 
point. 

The  following  extracts  from  Mr.  Neesima's  letter  to  the 
secretaries  of  the  Board,  formally  offering  himself  as  a 
missionary,  and  from  his  replies  to  the  questions  pro- 
pounded to  candidates  for  appointment,  will  show  the 
spirit  of  the  man,  and  how  his  mind  stood  with  reference 
to  theology. 


Trials  and  Preparation  41 

"  I  date  my  conversion  some  time  after  my  arrival  in 
this  country  5  but  I  was  seeking  God  and  his  light  from 
the  hour  I  read  his  Word.  With  my  new  experience  was 
born  a  desire  to  preach  the  Gospel  among  my  people. 
The  motive  in  offering  myself  to  this  work  is  my  sympa- 
thy with  the  need  of  my  country,  and  love  for  perishing 
souls  5  and,  above  all,  the  love  of  Chiist  has  constrained 
me  to  this  work." 

"  In  my  view,  the  leading  doctrines  of  the  Scriptures 
are:  the  existence  of  one  true  God,  inspiration  of  the 
Scriptures,  the  Trinity,  the  decrees  of  God,  the  freedom 
of  the  will,  the  total  depravity  of  man,  the  atonement,  re- 
generation, justification  by  faith,  the  resurrection  of  the 
dead,  the  final  judgment.  I  have  not  the  least  doubts 
respecting  any  of  the  doctrines  commonly  held  by  the 
churches  sustaining  the  missions  under  the  care  of  the 
Board.  My  confidence  in  the  reality  of  my  conversion  is 
in  my  growing  trust  in  Christ  and  increasing  sympathy 
with  truth.  My  views  of  ministerial  duty  are  to  preach 
the  Gospel  to  the  salvation  of  men.  My  desire  to  enter 
the  ministerial  work  is  due  to  the  need  of  it  in  Japan,  and 
my  hope  that  I  may  be  of  some  service  in  supplying  that 
need.  I  expect  to  meet  with  some  difficulties  and  trials, 
yet  I  shall  count  it  aU  joy,  not  only  to  beUeve  in  Christ, 
but  also  to  suffer  for  his  name.  It  is  my  purpose  to  give 
my  Hfe  to  this  work." 

He  was  now  ready  to  return  to  his  loved  land  and 
friends,  but  there  was  stiU  one  thing  which  weighed  upon 
his  heart.  He  had  come  to  America  and  seen  for  himself 
the  light  of  Christian  civilization ;  he  had  drunk  deeply  at 
the  fountains  of  knowledge,  and  he  felt  an  inexpressible 
longing  to  see  such  a  fountain  of  true  knowledge  opened 
in  his  own  land ;  he  had  not  started  on  his  world-wide 
quest  for  truth  for  himself — ^he  came  for  the  good  of  his 


42  Joseph  Hardy  N'eesima 

people :  should  lie  go  back  with  a  full  heart  but  with  an 
empty  hand  ?  The  same  Hand  which  had  so  wonderfully- 
led  him  to  America,  and  which  had  taken  care  of  him 
there  and  given  him  such  a  preparation  for  his  work,  led 
him  farther  to  make  an  appeal  which  other  hearts  were 
ready  to  second,  and  so  begin  an  enterprise  which  should 
be  indeed  a  blessing  to  his  whole  people. 

I  quote  here  from  Mr.  Neesima's  own  words,  written  in 
a  letter,  the  last  one  in  English  which  his  hand  ever 
penned,  written  only  a  few  days  before  his  death.  He 
says :  "  Fifteen  years  ago  I  had  a  day-dream  to  found  a 
Christian  college.  I  used  to  express  my  intense  desire  to 
found  it,  especially  to  raise  up  Christian  workers,  to  Dr. 
Clark,  secretary  of  the  American  Board,  and  also  to  some 
other  friends,  but  none  of  them  gave  me  any  encouraging 
words.  However,  I  was  not  discouraged  at  all.  I  kept  it 
within  myself  and  prayed  over  it. 

"  In  the  fall  of  1874  I  was  invited  to  attend  the  annual 
meeting  of  said  Board,  which  was  held  in  Rutland,  Vt.,  to 
bid  my  last  farewell  to  my  friends.  I  was  ordered  to 
appear  on  the  platform  on  the  very  last  day  of  the  meet- 
ing. In  the  evening  of  the  previous  day  I  called  on  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Alpheus  Hardy,  my  benefactors,  and  consulted 
with  them  about  the  advisability  of  my  bringing  out  my 
long-cherished  scheme — that  is,  to  found  a  Christian  col- 
lege in  Japan — in  my  farewell  speech.  Mr.  Hardy  was 
rather  doubtful  about  my  attaining  any  success;  how- 
ever, I  rather  insisted,  because  it  was  my  last  chance  to 
bring  out  such  a  subject  to  such  a  grand  Christian  audi- 
ence. Then  he  spoke  to  me,  half  smiling,  and  in  a  most 
tender,  fatherly  manner  said,  'Joseph,  the  matter  looks 
rather  dubious,  but  you  might  try  it.'  Eeceiving  that 
consent  I  went  back  to  the  place  where  I  was  entertained 
and  tried  to  make  a  preparation  for  the  speech.    I  found 


Trials  and  Preparation  43 

my  heart  throbbing,  and  was  utterly  unable  to  make  a 
careful  preparation.  I  was  then  like  that  poor  Jacob, 
wrestling  with  God  in  my  prayers. 

^'  On  the  following  day,  when  I  appeared  on  the  stage, 
I  could  hardly  remember  my  prepared  piece — a  poor, 
untried  speaker;  but  after  a  minute  or  two  I  recovered 
myself,  and  my  trembling  knees  became  firm  and  strong ; 
a  new  thought  flashed  into  my  mind,  and  I  spoke  some- 
thing quite  different  from  my  prepared  speech.  My  whole 
speech  must  have  lasted  less  than  fifteen  minutes ;  while  I 
was  speaking  I  was  moved  with  the  most  intense  feeUng 
over  my  fellow-countrymen,  and  I  shed  much  tears,  in- 
stead of  speaking  in  their  behalf.  But  before  I  closed  my 
poor  speech  about  five  thousand  dollars  were  subscribed 
on  the  spot  to  found  a  Christian  college  in  Japan.  That 
generous  subscription  of  our  American  friends  became 
the  nucleus  of  the  present  Doshisha,  which  is  now  recog- 
nized as  the  best  and  largest  Christian  college  in  Japan." 

The  writer  has  heard  from  many  persons  who  were 
present  at  that  meeting  that  it  was  a  scene  never  to  be 
forgotten ;  the  intense  earnestness  of  this  young  Japanese, 
as  he  spoke  of  the  great  blessings  of  a  Christian  educa- 
tion, and  pictured  to  them,  with  broken  voice  and  over- 
flowing eyes,  the  darkness  and  need  of  his  own  people  j 
the  evident  nervousness  of  the  secretaries  at  the  manly 
appeal  which  was  made,  for  the  speaker  said :  "  I  cannot 
go  back  to  Japan  without  the  money  to  found  a  Christian 
college,  and  I  am  going  to  stand  here  till  I  get  it."  Then 
Governor  Page  of  Vermont  arose  and  said :  "  Put  me  down 
for  one  thousand  dollars."  Dr.  Parker  of  Washington 
followed  with  five  hundred  dollars,  Mr.  Hardy  with  five 
hundred,  William  E.  Dodge  with  five  hundred,  and  others 
with  lesser  sums,  until  nearly  five  thousand  dollars  were 
raised. 


Ill 

LAYING  FOUNDATIONS 


45 


"  Behold,  I  lay  in  Sion  for  a  Foundation  a  Stone,  a  tried  Stone,  a 
precious  Corner-stone  of  sure  Foundation :  he  that  believeth  shall  not 
make  haste J^ — ISA.  xxviii.  16. 

"And  not  only  so,  hut  let  us  also  rejoice  in  our  tribulations  :  Jcnowing 
that  tribulation  worJceth  patience  ;  and  patience,  probation  ;  and  pro- 
bation, hope :  and  hope  putteth  not  to  shame  ;  because  the  love  of  God 
liath  been  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts  through  the  Holy  Ghost  which  was 
given  unto  us." — Rom.  v.  3-5. 

"  The  good  man  does  better  than  he  TcnowsJ*^ 

"  Fasten  your  soul  so  high  that  constantly 
TJie  smile  of  your  heroic  cheer  may  float 
Above  the  floods  of  earthly  agonies." 

E.  B.  Browning. 

"  God's  glory  is  a  ivondrous  thing, 
Most  strange  in  all  its  ways, 
And,  of  all  things  on  earth,  least  like 
Wliat  men  agree  to  praise. 

"  Oh,  blest  is  he  to  ivhom  is  given 
The  instinct  that  can  tell 
That  God  is  on  the  fleld  when  he 
Is  most  invisible  ! 

**  And  blest  is  he  who  can  divine 
Where  real  right  doth  lie, 
And  dares  to  take  the  side  that  seems 
Wrong  to  man's  blindfold  eye  ! 

"  Oh,  learn  to  scorn  the  praise  of  msn  ! 
Oh,  learn  to  lose  ivith  God ! 
For  Jesus  won  the  world  through  shame. 
And  beckons  thee  his  road. 

"And  right  is  right,  since  God  is  God; 
And  right  the  day  must  2vin; 
To  doubt  would  be  disloyalty, 
To  falter  would  be  sin ! " 
Faber. 

46 


CHAPTER  III 

LAYING   FOUNDATIONS 

Mr.  Neesima  reached  Japan  in  December,  1874.  Great 
changes  had  taken  place  during  his  ten  years  of  absence. 
The  mikado  was  reinstated,  his  capital  was  changed  from 
Kyoto — where  his  ancestors  had  ruled  for  a  thousand 
years — to  Tokyo ;  the  daimios  had  relinquished  their  feudal 
rights,  and  the  pensions  of  their  retainers  were  capitalized  j 
the  Julian  or  Gregorian  calendar  had  been  adopted,  and 
the  Sabbath  was  made  a  holiday )  the  post-oflce,  with  a 
money-order  system,  a  savings-bank  system,  and  a  postal 
delivery  system,  was  estabhshed ;  newspapers  were  being 
printed  and  circulated  j  an  army  and  a  navy  on  a  foreign 
plan  were  formed ;  a  mint  was  established  j  the  coast  was 
being  surrounded  with  lighthouses;  the  first  raiboads 
were  opened ;  and  a  network  of  telegraphs  was  unifying 
the  old  feudal  kingdom.  Most  of  these  changes  had  taken 
place  one  or  two  years  before  Mr.  Neesima  returned.  The 
great  question  of  constitutional  hberty  was  beginning  to 
be  agitated,  and  the  men  whose  confidence  and  love  Mr. 
Neesima  had  gained  in  his  intercoui-se  with  the  embassy, 
three  years  before,  were  at  the  head  of  the  government. 
Their  prejudices  had  been  removed  and  their  minds  broad- 
ened by  their  intercourse  with  "Western  nations,  and  they 
were  ready  to  encourage  the  adoption  of  Western  civiliza- 
tion in  their  own  empire. 

47 


48  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

Mr.  Neesima  was  offered,  again  and  again,  piaees  of 
Mgli  position  under  these  men,  and  urged  to  accept  them, 
but  he  steadily  declined.  He  allowed  nothing  to  turn  him 
from  the  great  pui-pose  of  his  life,  to  estabhsh  a  Clu-istian 
college  in  his  native  land. 

Soon  after  Mr.  Neesima  established  the  school  in  Kyoto, 
a  high  official  sent  him  a  letter,  from  which  I  extract  the 
following :  "  You  have  knowledge,  you  have  wisdom,  and, 
above  all,  you  are  still  3^oung.  Why,  then,  are  you  retired 
in  Kyoto,  and  passing  your  time  with  young  boys  and 
girls  in  leisure  ?  It  may  be  because  you  are  so  earnest  in 
religion,  but  why  do  you  not  become  a  great  public  man, 
and  extend  your  influence  in  the  world  ? "  Mr.  Neesima 
replied  as  follows :  "  I  am  very  thankful  for  your  kind  ad- 
vice. But  suppose  I  should  take  a  government  position, 
how  much  benefit  could  I  give  to  Japan  ?  Certainly  very 
little.  On  the  contrary,  if  I  educate  many  young  men  and 
women  here  in  this  place  of  beautiful  mountains  and  pure 
water,  and  produce  hundreds  and  thousands  of  Neesimas 
who  can  work  for  this  country,  it  will  be  of  some  benefit. 
This  is  the  aim  of  my  life." 

Soon  after  landing  in  Yokohama  he  visited  his  aged 
parents,  who  had  gone  back  to  their  native  province,  and 
were  living  in  Annaka.  There  were  at  this  time  small 
churches  in  Tokyo,  Yokohama,  Osaka,  and  Kobe,  but  it 
was  hardly  safe  to  profess  Christianity  even  in  the  open 
ports.  Away  from  the  open  ports  there  was  very  Httle,  if 
any,  effort  on  the  part  of  any  Japanese  to  teach  the  for- 
bidden doctrines.  But  no  sooner  did  Mr.  Neesima  reach 
Annaka,  seventy-five  miles  from  Tokyo,  than  the  people 
began  to  beg  him  to  tell  all  about  foreign  countries,  and 
he  took  that  opportunity  to  openly  tell  them  about  Chris- 
tianity ;  he  did  this  so  boldly  for  several  days  that  the 
governor  of  that  province  became  troubled.     Mr.  Neesima 


Laying  Foundations  49 

was  plainly  violating  tlie  old  law,  but  yet  lie  was  no  or- 
dinary person  •  lie  had  been  attached  to  the  Iwakura  em- 
bass}^,  and  was  already  a  widely  known  man.  To  arrest 
or  even  caution  him  might  have  some  unknown  results ; 
so  the  governor  went  hastily  in  person  to  Tokyo,  and  laid 
the  matter  before  some  of  the  men  who  were  at  the  head 
of  the  government.  They  replied :  "  If  it  is  Neesima,  it  is 
all  right  -,  let  him  alone ;  "  so  the  governor  retui'ned  satis- 
fied, and  a  work  was  begun  which  resulted  in  the  organi- 
zation of  the  Annaka  church  a  few  years  later  under  the 
labors  of  Mr.  Yebina.  The  Annaka  church,  with  the  five 
other  churches  within  a  very  few  miles  which  have  sprung 
from  it,  make  it  probably  the  most  thoroughly  evangelized 
community  in  Japan.  Several  of  the  members  of  the  first 
provincial  assembly  and  a  majority  of  the  standing  com- 
mittee were  Christian  men,  and  two  thirds  of  the  members 
of  the  first  Imperial  Diet  elected  from  that  province  were 
Christians. 

In  a  letter  to  Mr.  Hardy,  Mr.  Neesima  recites  the  ex- 
periences of  this  period  as  follows : 

"  It  was  my  intention  to  remain  in  Yokohama  for  tliree 
days  when  I  arrived  there ;  but  when  once  I  stepped  on 
the  dry  land — my  dear  native  soil — I  could  not  wait  even 
for  three  days.  Hence  I  hurried  home  without  stopping 
in  Tokyo.  When  I  came  here  it  was  midnight ;  therefore 
I  disliked  to  distm^b  my  parents'  sleep,  and  slept  in  an  inn. 
In  the  morning  I  sent  word  to  my  father.  Then  I  came 
home,  and  was  welcomed  by  my  aged  parents,  sisters, 
neighbors,  and  old  acquaintances.  My  father  had  been  ill 
for  three  days,  and  could  not  move  himself,  on  account  of 
rheumatism ;  but  when  he  heard  of  my  safe  arrival  he  rose 
up  and  welcomed  me  with  fatherly  tenderness.  When  I 
hailed  him  he  stooped  down  without  a  word.  I  noticed 
his  tears  dropping  on  the  floor.     My  old  acquaintances 


50  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

gathered  at  our  home,  and  requested  me  to  tell  them  all 
my  experiences  in  the  United  States.  The  people  came 
here  from  the  suiTOunding  towns,  even  seven  or  eight 
miles  away.  They  have  kept  me  busy  all  the  time.  They 
look  as  sheep  without  a  shepherd.  I  found  it  almost  im- 
possible to  send  them  back  without  giving  them  some 
spiritual  food. 

''Soon  after  my  arrival  home  I  presented  your  kind 
letter  to  my  father,  but  for  a  long  time  I  could  not  trans- 
late it  for  him,  because  when  I  tried  to  read  it  I  could 
not  help  thinking  of  the  scene  of  my  last  departure 
from  you. 

"  Another  day  I  gathered  my  parents  and  sisters,  and 
succeeded  in  reading  your  letter  to  them.  Before  I  got 
half  through  all  of  them  began  to  weep,  being  much  af- 
fected by  your  parental  kindness  to  me.  My  father  told 
me  you  were  our  saviors  and  our  gods.  Then  I  told  him 
he  must  not  make  our  American  friends  gods.  If  he  feels 
grateful  for  their  deeds  he  must  worship  that  God,  the 
only  one  God,  the  Creator  of  the  universe,  the  Saviour  of 
mankind,  the  God  of  his  American  friends.  I  mentioned, 
still  further,  that  these  friends  became  so  good  and  kind, 
even  to  a  wandering  stranger,  because  they  are  true  wor- 
shipers of  God  and  the  followers  of  Christ,  who  is,  indeed, 
the  Saviour  of  mankind.  He  came  to  this  sinful  world  to 
save  the  poor  and  lost.  These  friends  saved  me  from  a 
miserable  condition,  and  gave  me  necessary  education,  so 
that  I  might  become  a  teacher  of  the  glad  tidings  of  sal- 
vation to  our  benighted  people.  Since  that  time  my  poor 
father  has  discontinued  to  worship  the  Japanese  gods  and 
his  ancestors.  By  his  consent  I  took  down  all  the  paper, 
wooden,  earthen,  and  brass  gods  from  shelves  where  they 
were  kept,  and  burned  them  up.  I  send  a  few  paper  gods 
for  you,  which  my  mother  threw  into  the  fireplace.     '^  lere 


NEESIMA   IN   HAKODATE.   1864 


.A* 


Laying  Foundations  51 

are  no  gods  or  images  in  this  house  now.  I  trust  they 
will  be  worshipers  of  the  true  God  hereafter. 

^^  Besides  my  home  friends,  my  humble  labors  with- 
in three  weeks  have  been  wonderfully  blessed.  I  have 
preached  several  times  in  the  school-house,  and  also 
preached  to  small  audiences  in  families.  A  week  ago  I 
preached  to  a  large  audience  in  a  Buddhist  temple.  All 
the  priests  in  this  community  came  and  Hstened  to  the 
preaching  of  the  new  reUgion.  There  were  over  two 
hundred  present,  consisting  of  priests,  laymen,  and  a  few 
women  and  children.  At  my  preaching  in  the  school- 
house  the  whole  body  of  magistrates  from  the  city  of 
Takasaki  came  to  hear  me  preach.  One  of  my  hearers 
went  home  and  took  down  all  his  gods,  and  has  ceased  to 
worship  them.  Thirty  men  in  this  town,  and  a  few  men 
out  of  the  town,  took  up  a  collection  to  buy  some  Chris- 
tian books.  One  gave  six  dollars ;  the  whole  was  $17.35. 
They  requested  me  to  buy  the  books.  They  are  hungry 
and  thirsty  for  the  Christian  truth.  I  find  here  everything 
ready  for  the  Gospel." 

On  Mr.  Neesima's  visit  to  Annaka  dates  the  entrance  of 
Christianity  into  the  heart  of  Japan,  and  that  was  the  be- 
ginning of  the  fearless  preaching  of  the  Gospel  in  the  in- 
terior. 

After  a  few  weeks  spent  with  his  friends  in  Annaka, 
preaching  the  Gospel,  Mr.  Neesima  came  on  to  Kobe  and 
Osaka  to  confer  in  regard  to  the  estabhshment  of  the 
Christian  college. 

A  short  time  before  Mr.  Neesima's  return  our  mission 
received  a  letter  from  Secretary  Clark  telling  us  that  five 
thousand  dollars  were  waiting  to  found  a  collegiate  and 
theological  training-school  to  train  Christian  workers  for 
Japan.  We  had  not  yet  begun  to  think  of  such  a  school, 
or  at  least  we  felt  that  it  was  far  in  the  future.     Our  first 


52  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

two  churches  had  been  organized  that  year,  one  in  Kobe 
with  eleven  members,  and  one  in  Osaka  with  seven  mem- 
bers ;  a  few  young  men  were  found  ready  to  listen  to  the 
truth,  also,  in  Sanda,  twenty  miles  from  Kobe  j  but  the 
villages  about  Kobe  and  between  Kobe  and  Osaka  were  so 
much  opposed  to  Christianity  that  it  was  impossible  to 
even  teach  a  few  men  in  an  hotel,  or  tea-house. 

Mr.  Neesima  tried  for  several  months  to  secure  permis- 
sion from  the  governor  of  the  Osaka-Fu  to  estabhsh  the 
college  in  that  city.  The  governor  told  him  he  would  ap- 
prove the  estabhshment  of  the  school  there,  but  that  no 
missionary  should  teach  in  it  5  so  Mr.  Neesima  reluctantly 
gave  up  hope  in  Osaka,  and  then  our  thoughts  were  turne'd 
to  Kyoto.  But  Kyoto  was  an  interior  city,  where  foreigners 
had  never  been  allowed  to  reside ;  it  had  been  the  cen- 
ter of  Buddliism  and  Shintoism  in  Japan  for  a  thousand 
years;  and,  moreover,  it  was  away  from  the  centers  of 
work  which  our  mission  had  opened. 

The  mission,  however,  gave  a  reluctant  consent  to  the 
location  of  the  school  in  Kyoto,  if  permission  could  be  se- 
cured; and  in  the  summer  of  1875  Mr.  Neesima  went  to 
Kyoto  to  see  what  could  be  done.  The  Lord  had  prepared 
the  way  before  him;  the  city  had  been  opened  for  one 
hundred  days  during  the  three  previous  years,  while  the 
exhibition  was  held  there.  Rev.  0.  H.  Gulick  had  spent 
three  months  in  the  city  during  the  summer  of  1872,  and 
had  made  the  acquaintance  of  Mr.  Yamamoto  Kakuma,  a 
blind  man  who  was  then  a  private  counselor  to  the  Kyoto- 
Fu.  Others  of  our  mission  had  met  him  during  the  next 
two  summers,  and  he  had  become  greatly  interested  in 
Christianity.  When  Mr.  Neesima  presented  his  plan  for 
the  establishment  of  a  Christian  college  in  Kyoto  to  Mr. 
Yamamoto,  he  was  ready  to  give  it  his  warm  approval 
from  the  first,  and  he  used  his  strong  influence  with  the 


Laying  Foundations  53 

governor  of  the  Kyoto-Fu  in  the  same  direction,  so  that 
the  governor  also  gave  his  approval  to  the  scheme. 

The  wi'iter  made  a  hasty  visit  to  Kyoto  in  June  of  1875, 
and,  with  Mr.  Neesima,  looked  at  a  lot  of  land  containing 
five  and  a  half  acres,  6500  tsubo,  situated  in  the  northern 
part  of  the  city,  just  above  the  old  palace  grounds,  and 
with  a  large  temple  grove  of  one  hundred  acres  on  the 
north  side  of  it.  This  land  was  the  former  site  of  the 
palace  of  the  Satsuma  daimio,  the  last  resident  being 
Shimadzu  Saburo.  It  was  now  in  the  possession  of  the 
blind  Yamamoto,  and  he  gladly  sold  it  to  us  for  the  school 
for  the  sum  of  five  hundred  and  fifty  dollars.* 

Thus  the  site  for  the  school  was  secured.  What  should 
be  its  name  ?  Many  were  thought  of,  but  finally  the  name 
''Ppshisha"  was  decided  upon;  this  means  one  endeavor, 
or  one  purpose  company.  Mr.  Neesima  was  in  Kyoto  all 
the  summer  of  that  year  except  during  a  hm-ried  visit  to 
Tokyo.  Although  the  approval  of  the  local  government 
had  been  secured  for  the  location  of  the  school  in  Kyoto, 
the  approval  of  the  central  government  was  necessary.  A 
building  must  also  be  secm-ed  for  the  school,  and  permis- 
sion for  a  missionary  to  reside  in  Kyoto  and  teach  in  the 
school.  Mr.  Neesima  was  busy  with  all  these  plans,  and 
his  heart  was  stirred  also  to  find  some  way  by  which  the 
Gospel  could  be  freely  taught  in  the  school  and  in  the  city, 
and  all  over  the  empii-e. 

He  writes  August  2d :  ^^  I  had  a  most  interesting  inter- 
view with  Mr. ,  a  young  man  who  is  connected  with 

the  educational  department  at  Tokyo.  He  told  me  that 
he  would  do  his  best  to  allow  missionaries  to  be  hired  in 

*  It  is  an  interesting  fact  that  Mr.  Yamamoto  was  confined  a 
prisoner  in  a  low  room  on  this  very  ground  for  two  years  during  the 
war  of  the  restoration,  and  was  there  attacked  with  that  rheumatism 
which  made  him  a  cripple  till  the  day  of  his  death. 


54  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

our  Kyoto  school  5  but  for  teaching  Christianity  in  it,  he 
has  no  power  to  say  much,  because  as  Christian  rehgion 
it  comes  under  Dai-kyo-in,  or  department  of  religion.  I 
think  it  would  not  do  for  us  to  present  this  matter  to  Dai- 
kyo-in,  because  they  will  never  do  us  any  favor.  So  I 
think  a  best  way  will  be  to  try  to  get  religious  freedom  in 
the  empire.  I  will  write  to  our  influential  men  in  the 
cabinet  and  induce  them  to  work  for  it.  Mr. prom- 
ised me  to  work  for  it  privately  among  the  radical  states- 
men. He  rather  asked  me  to  come  to  Tokyo  to  see  them 
myself.  In  the  fii-st  place  I  must  get  a  letter  from  my 
native  province  which  wiU  assure  the  Kyoto  government 
that  I  belong  to  that  ken,  and  will  henceforth  become  a 
citizen  of  Kyoto.  Then  I  can  make  my  religious  faith 
known  to  the  Kyoto  government ;  it  will  be  the  very  first 
thing  ever  done  in  Kyoto.  I  think  the  Kyoto  government 
will  present  the  matter  to  the  central  government.  If  case 
requires,  I  will  present  myself  to  the  central  government  j 
then,  as  I  said  above,  in  the  mean  time  I  will  work  privately 
for  religious  freedom  among  the  radical  statesmen.  I 
think  this  is  the  only  way  to  get  Kyoto  open  for  our 
Christian  institution." 

August  24th  he  writes :  "  I  have  already  presented  the 
petition  for  our  school,  and  especially  for  hiring  a  mis- 
sionary 5  and  in  order  to  gain  the  governor's  favor  I 
made  a  friendly  call  on  him  last  night.  He  strongly  ad- 
vised me  to  go  to  Tokyo  as  soon  as  possible,  or  not  any 
later  than  our  petition  reaches  the  central  government.  I 
am  deliberately  following  the  advice  of  the  governor,  who 
so  recently  came  back  from  Tokyo  and  knows  exactly  the 
present  state  of  things  in  the  central  government." 

Mr.  Neesima  hurried  off  by  jinrikisha  overland  to  To- 
kyo, and  reached  there  as  soon  as  the  petition  did.  He 
saw  Mr.  Tanaka,  who  was  at  the  head  of  the  department 


Laying  Foundations  55 

of  education.  Mr.  Tanaka  was  Mr.  Neesima's  special 
friend,  having  become  such  while  they  were  in  Europe  to- 
gether. He  told  him,  however,  at  first,  that  it  would  be 
impossible  to  gi-ant  permission  for  a  Chi'istian  school  to 
be  opened  in  the  city  of  Kyoto ;  it  was  regarded  as  the 
sacred  city  of  the  empire,  and  he  feared  great  opposition 
and  prejudice  on  the  part  of  the  people.  Mr.  Neesima  saw 
him  repeatedly  during  three  days,  and  Mr.  Tanaka  finally 
told  him  that  if  he  would  be  very  careful  not  to  do  any- 
thing to  arouse  the  opposition  of  the  people  he  would  grant 
the  permission.  Thus  the  permission  was  finally  granted 
to  open  the  school  in  Kyoto.  Mr.  Neesima  also  formed  a 
company,  consisting  of  himself  and  Mr.  Yamamoto,  to  open 
the  school,  hii-e  teachers,  etc. ;  this  company  of  two  was 
the  Doshisha  for  several  years. 

The  writer  having  been  engaged  as  the  first  foreign 
teacher  in  the  school,  Mr.  Neesima  wrote,  October  11th, 
in  regard  to  a  house  for  my  family  and  one  for  the  school. 
In  this  letter  he  says :  ^'  I  hope  his  reply  will  come  within 
to-day.  I  think  it  is  pretty  early  for  me  to  say  to-day — it 
is  now  3.30  a.m.  I  awoke  at  a  quarter  before  two  o'clock, 
and  could  not  sleep  again,  so  I  got  up  some  time  after  two 

o'clock  and  wrote  a  pretty  long  letter  to  Mr. to  get 

permission  to  rent  his  house.  Can  you  do  anything  for 
this  sleepless  old  fellow  ?  I  am  exceedingly  tired,  but  can't 
sleep."  Again,  October  16th,  five  days  later,  he  writes : 
"  I  have  been  sleepless  these  past  five  nights,  but  I  slept 
first-rate  last  night.  I  hope  I  shall  do  so  again  to-night. 
My  hope  for  Kyoto  was  quite  brightened  up."  The  reason 
for  his  brighter  hopes  was  that  the  permission  for  my  resi- 
dence in  Kyoto,  which  had  been  pending  so  long,  and  for 
which  he  had  been  writing  and  telegraphing  to  Tokyo,  had 
come,  and  the  way  was  open  for  him  to  commence  the 
school.     He  had  had  a  long  and  anxious  summer. 


56  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

I  entered  Kyoto  with  my  family  October  19th,  and  set- 
tled down  in  a  part  of  the  old  Yanagiwara  yashiki  on  the 
east  side  of  the  imperial  palace,  and  Mr.  Neesima  had  a 
little  house  on  Shin  Karasmnaru,  above  Maruta  Machi. 
Mr.  Neesima  had  a  small  company  to  whom  he  preached 
and  taught  the  Bible  in  his  own  house  each  Sabbath  all 
summer  5  I  began  a  similar  service  in  my  house  the  fii'st 
Sabbath  we  were  in  the  city,  and  only  six  were  present ; 
but  both  audiences  increased  so  that  in  a  few  weeks  they 
numbered  from  thirty  to  sixty. 
■  We  had  hardly  entered  the  city,  however,  before  the 
Buddhist  priests  held  manj^  meetings  and  finally  sent  a 
strong  petition  to  the  central  government  asking  to  have 
us  expelled.  I  find  written  in  my  diary  of  November 
19th :  "  The  opposition  of  the  priests  is  having  its  effect 
upon  the  ofiicials  of  the  city :  they  are  less  friendly.  The 
acorn  is  in  the  bottle,  however,  and  it  will,  in  time,  with 

/       God's  blessing,  split  the  bottle." 

Mr.  Neesima  made  applications    about  this  time  for 

Dr.  Taylor  and  Dr.  Learned  to  teach  in  the  school,  and  he 
was  very  greatly  tried  for  five  months  before  they  were 
granted.  I  will  quote  from  my  diary  of  Monday,  Novem- 
ber 22d,  to  show  how  he  was  tried :  "  Mr.  Neesima  has 
called  several  times  dui'ing  the  last  week  or  two  to  see  the 
governor,  but  always  found  him  not  at  home.  Friday 
evening  last  he  called  again,  and  was  told  that  he  was  too 
busy  to  see  him ;  he  went  early  Saturday  morning,  and  was 
told  that  it  was  too  early ;  he  went  a  little  later,  and  was 
told  that  the  governor  was  about  starting  for  the  ofiice ; 
he  inquired  through  the  servant  if  he  could  see  him  in  the 
evening,  and  was  told  that  he  could  not  promise  j  he  went 
home,  and  yesterday  he  received  notice  to  appear  at  the 
office  this  morning  and  explain  what  he  meant  by  Seisho, 
Bible,  in  the  list  of  studies  as  put  forth  in  the  program  of 


Laying  Foundations  57 

the  school."  The  only  result  of  the  sending  of  the  strong 
petition  of  the  priests  to  Tokyo,  so  far  as  we  know,  was 
that  Mr.  Tanaka,  the  head  of  the  department  of  education, 
sent  a  request  to  the  governor  of  Kyoto,  asking  that,  for 
the  present,  we  would  not  teach  the  Bible  in  the  school. 
Mr.  Neesima  gave  him  a  written  promise  to  that  effect  on 
the  22d  of  November.  The  governor  told  him  that  we 
could  teach  Christianity  in  the  school  under  the  name  of  \/ 
moral  science,  and  teach  everything  there  except  Bible 
exegesis,  and  that  we  could  teach  that  and  preach  in  our 
homes.  This  request  was  made  by  Mr.  Tanaka  for  fear 
of  trouble  in  the  city,  as  there  was  great  excitement  about 
our  coming  to  open  a  Christian  school.  The  owner  of  the 
building  we  had  rented  for  the  school  had  given  Mr.  Nee- 
sima notice  that  he  wanted  his  house  for  himself,  and  that 
we  could  not  have  it ;  but  after  this  Bible-teaching  was 
arranged  with  the  governor  the  owner  concluded  to  let  us 
have  it. 

From  my  diary,  November  29,  1875 :  '^  We  began  our 
school  this  morning  in  Mr.  Neesima's  house  at  eight 
o'clock,  with  a  prayer-meeting,  in  which  all  the  scholars 
took  part;  then,  going  to  the  school-house,  two  others 
were  received,  making  seven  boarding  scholars  and  one 
day-scholar."  I  never  shall  forget  Mr.  Neesima's  tender, 
tearful,  earnest  prayer  in  his  house  that  morning  as  we 
began  the  school ;  all  prayed  from  the  heart.  December 
4th  we  had  twelve  scholars.  We  worked  on  through  the 
winter,  the  school  growing  gradually,  until  we  had  about 
forty  scholars,  the  attendance  at  the  Sabbath  services  in- 
creasing, until  sixty  or  seventy  were  present.  The  passes 
for  Drs.  Taylor  and  Learned,  which  gave  Mr.  Neesima 
trouble  all  winter,  were  finally  sent  on  to  Tokyo,  and 
granted  in  March,  1876. 


IV 

MARRIAGE,  TRIALS,  AND  WORK 


59 


"  In  love  of  tlie  brethren  le  tenderly  affectioned  one  to  another ;  in 
honor  preferring  one  another ;  in  diligence  not  slothful;  fervent  in 
spirit;  serving  the  Lord;  rejoicing  in  hope;  patient  in  tribidation; 
continui7ig  steadfastly  in  praijer." — Rom.  xii.  10-12. 

"For  marriage  is  a  matter  of  more  ivorth 
Than  to  he  dealt  in  hy  attorneyship  ; 
For  what  is  wedlock  forced  hut  a  hell, 
An  age  of  discord  and  continual  strife  ; 
Whereas  the  contrary  hringeth  forth  happiness, 
And  is  a  pattern  of  celestial  Miss." 

Shakespeare. 

"  Sorrow  and  silence  are  strong, 
And  patient  endurance  is  godlike." 

Longfellow. 

"Leave  God  to  order  all  thy  ways. 
And  hope  in  him,  whate'er  hetide; 
TJiouHt  find  him  in  the  evil  days 

An  all-sufficient  strength  and  guide; 
Who  trusts  in  God^s  unchanging  love 
Builds  on  a  rock  that  naught  can  move." 

Georg  Neumark. 

"Life  is  real,  life  is  earnest, 

And  the  grave  is  not  its  goal; 
*Dust  thou  art,  to  dust  returnest/ 
Was  not  spoken  of  the  soul. 

"Let  us  then  he  up  and  doing, 
With  a  heart  for  any  fate: 
Still  achieving,  still  pursuing. 
Learn  to  lahor  and  to  wait." 

Longfellow. 

"Blind  unheliefis  sure  to  err, 
And  scan  his  work  in  vain; 
God  is  his  own  interpreter^ 
And  he  will  make  it  plain." 

COWPER. 


60 


CHAPTER  lY 

MAERIAGE,   TRIALS,  AND  WORK 

Soon  after  Mr.  Neesima  came  to  Kyoto  he  became  ac- 
quainted with  Yamamoto  Yaye,  a  sister  of  the  blind  coun- 
selor of  the  Kyoto-Fu ;  and,  meeting  her  repeatedly  at  her 
brother's  house,  acquaintance  ripened  into  affection,  and 
in  the  autumn  of  that  year  they  were  engaged. 

On  Sabbath,  January  2,  1876,  the  Lord's  Supper  and 
also  the  ordinance  of  baptism  were  celebrated  for  the  first 
time  in  the  city,  at  the  regular  service  at  my  house.  Ya- 
mamoto O  Yaye  received  baptism  at  that  time,  and  the 
next  day,  January  3d,  in  the  presence  of  all  the  members 
of  our  school,  of  the  ex-daimio  of  Tango  and  his  daughter, 
of  several  friends  whom  we  had  made  in  the  city,  and  of 
Mr.  Yamamoto's  family,  Mr.  Neesima  and  O  Yaye  were 
united  in  marriage.  This  proved  a  very  happy  union, 
and  Mr.  Neesima  had  a  faithful,  loving  wife  during  all  the 
years  until  God  called  him  up  higher. 

In  the  letters  he  wrote  us  from  America,  while  there  in 
1885,  it  was  very  touching  to  see  how  much  he  felt  the 
separation  from  Mrs.  Neesima,  and  how  he  also  remem- 
bered to  ask  us  to  help  her  bear  her  loneliness. 

Mr.  Sears,  a  wealthy  Boston  gentleman,  whose  acquain- 
tance Mr.  Neesima  made  while  in  the  United  States,  sent 
out  a  sum  of  money  for  Mr.  Neesima  to  use  to  build  him  a 
comfortable  home,  and  also  another  sum  to  build  a  chapel. 

61 


^^  Joseph  Eardtj  Neesima 

He  secured  a  large  lot  on  Teramachi,  above  Maruta  Machi 
and  there  built  a  home  for  himself.  It  was  several  years 
before  we  could  secure  any  places  in  the  city  for  preach- 
ing, and  a  service  was  held  at  Mr.  Neesima's  house,  and 
the  school  met  at  my  house  each  Sabbath  afternoon  for 
more  than  two  years.  At  this  latter  preaching  service 
more  than  two  hundred  people  often  gathered  to  hear  the 
Gospel,  and,  as  the  house  became  too  smaU,  the  money 
given  by  Mr.  Sears  was  used  to  build  a  chapel  near  by. 
Mr.  Neesima  used  often  to  preach  in  those  days,  and  his 
sermons  were  intensely  earnest  and  impressive. 

To  show  the  difficulty  we  encountered  in  trying  to  teach 
Christianity  at  this  time  one  example  may  be  given.  A 
physician  in  Fushimi,  a  southern  suburb  of  Kyoto,  asked 
us  to  come  down  to  his  house  and  teach  the  Gospel,-  the 
writer  went  down  one  Sabbath  and  gave  him  and  a  few  of 
his  friends  who  had  assembled  in  his  house  a  talk  about 
the  true  God  5  the  next  Sabbath  Mr.  Neesima  went  down 
and  talked  to  the  five  or  six  people  who  assembled;  for 
this  the  physician  was  summoned  to  appear  at  the  Kyoto- 
Fu,  and  told  that  he  must  not  aUow  such  meetings  at  his 
house.  All  who  had  Hstened  or  who  had  received  any 
tracts  were  also  summoned  to  appear  at  the  office,  and 
very  closely  questioned  and  frightened.  The  physician 
was  thus  summoned  on  three  separate  occasions. 

The  following  is  a  part  of  the  conversation  which  oc- 
curred between  the  Fu  officials  and  this  physician  on  the 
last  day,  when  he  was  discharged:  '^This  Davis  came  up 
here  to  teach  an  English  school,  did  he  not?'^  ^'Yes.'^ 
"Then  he  is  like  a  man  who  has  a  license  to  seU  deer 
meat,  but  who  seUs  dog  meat  ? ''  "  WeU,  is  it  dog  meat  ? 
I  used  to  think  so,  but  on  tasting  of  it  I  find  it  is  a  great 
deal  better  than  deer  meat;  and  I  would  Hke  to  ask  you 
one  question :  this  way  is  allowed  to  be  taught  publicly  in 


NEESIMA'S   WIFE   AND   MOTHER 


Marriage,  Trials,  and  Work  63 

Kobe,  in  Osaka,  and  in  twenty  or  thirty  places  in  Tokyo ; 
how  is  it  that  here,  in  the  Kyoto-Fu,  a  man  is  not  allowed 
to  hear  it  in  his  own  house  ?  Are  we  not  all  under  the 
same  government?  I  do  not  understand  it."  "Well," 
says  the  official,  "  I  do  not  say  that  way  is  either  good  or 
bad,  and  I  do  not  say  that  you  and  your  friends  cannot 
hear  it  in  your  house ;  but  you  let  in  the  common  people, 
the  lower  classes,  who  cannot  understand  it ;  we  cannot 
allow  this.  We  have  good  and  sufficient  rehgions  here  in 
Japan — we  do  not  want  any  more ;  we  have  Confucianism 
for  the  scholars  like  you,  and  Buddhism  for  the  masses." 
The  doctor  replied :  "  I  would  like  to  ask  you  one  thing :  If 
Confucianism  is  an  all-sufficient  religion,  why  is  it,  since 
its  founder  lived  hundreds  of  years  before  Christ,  and 
taught  during  a  long  hfe,  that  this  way  has  not  spread 
beyond  China  and  Japan?  So  if  Buddhism  is  an  all- 
sufficient  religion,  started  by  Buddha  hundreds  of  years 
before  Christ,  and  taught  by  him  through  a  long  life,  how 
is  it  that  it  has  not  spread  beyond  India,  China,  and 
Japan  ?  And  if  Christianity  is  a  bad  way,  how  is  it,  since 
its  founder  only  taught  three  years,  and  was  put  to  death 
when  he  was  thirty-three  years  old,  that  it  has  spread  aU 
over  Europe  and  America,  and  is  spreading  aU  over  Africa 
and  Asia  and  all  the  islands  of  the  sea  ? "  "  WeU,  we  do 
not  say  that  it  is  either  good  or  bad,  but  you  must  not 
allow  people  to  meet  at  your  house,  and  you  are  dis- 
charged," replied  the  official.  The  physician  came  from 
the  Fu  right  to  my  house  and  told  me  this,  and  I  copied 
it  into  my  diary.  He  borrowed  a  quantity  of  books  and 
tracts,  took  them  home,  and  lent  them  to  his  neighbors  j 
but  his  practice  gradually  feU  off,  and  he  came  near  to 
starvation,  so  prejudiced  did  the  people  become  against 
him ;  and  he  finally  lost  his  interest  in  Christianity. 
This  opposition  on  the  part  of  officials,  and  the  fact 


64  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

that  the  Bible  was  not  allowed  to  be  taught  in  the  school, 
caused  much  dissatisfaction  in  the  mission,  so  that  after 
the  permission  for  Drs.  Taylor  and  Learned  had  been 
granted,  and  before  they  moved  into  the  city,  about  the 
middle  of  March,  a  special  meeting  of  the  mission  was 
called  in  Osaka,  and  half  a  day  was  spent  over  the  ques- 
tion of  abandoning  Kyoto,  and  locating  the  school  where 
the  missionaries  could  be  free  to  live  and  to  teach  the 
Bible.  Although  one  of  the  mission  afterward  said  it  was 
"  the  most  reluctant  vote  the  mission  ever  gave,"  the  vote 
was  given  to  remain,  none  dissenting.  A  few  months 
later,  the  last  of  June,  a  vote  was  given  by  the  mission  to 
approve  of  the  erection  of  two  buildings  on  the  ground 
bought  for  the  school.  It  was  a  very  reluctant  vote,  but 
the  fact  that  most  thought  it  very  doubtful  if  the  erection 
of  the  buildings  would  be  allowed  by  the  government 
helped  the  doubtful  ones,  and  the  vote  was  given,  none 
dissenting;  one  brother  said,  however,  "Brethren,  you 
may  just  as  well  try  to  fly  to  Mars  as  to  try  to  put  up 
those  buildings;  it  will  not  be  allowed."  In  Just  thi'ee 
months  and  twenty  days  from  that  time  this  brother  sang 
in  the  new  buildings,  "  We'U  hold  the  fort,"  etc.,  and  took 
part  in  the  exercises  of  dedication. 

As  the  buildings  stood  completed,  and  the  day  ap- 
pointed to  open  the  school  in  them  drew  near,  the  tempo- 
rary restriction  in  regard  to  the  Bible  still  held.  Many 
of  the  members  of  the  mission  were  greatly  exercised 
about  opening  the  training-school  of  the  mission  in  the 
new  buildings ;  some  were  in  favor  of  demanding  the  re- 
moval of  the  restriction,  and,  in  case  it  was  refused,  then 
of  abandoning  everything — ^buildings,  work,  and  all — and 
of  leaving  the  city.  One  brother  wrote :  "  We  have  no 
training-school ;  the  school  that  wiH  begin  next  week  wiU 
not  be  the  training-school,"  etc.    Another  brother  wrote 


Marriage,  Trials,  and  Worli  65 

that  he  did  not  believe  that  we  would  be  allowed  to  teach 
the  Bible  and  pray  in  the  school  for  three  or  five  years, 
perhaps  not  for  fifteen  or  twenty  years  yet. 

Within  one  of  a  majority  of  the  members  of  the  mission 
signed  a  call  for  a  special  meeting  to  reconsider  the  whole 
question  of  the  location  of  the  school  in  Kyoto,  and  decide 
whether  we  should  open  the  school  in  the  new  buildings. 
One  member  of  the  mission  had  just  started  overland  to 
Tokyo,  and  was  at  this  very  time  weather-bound  by  a 
three  days'  storm  of  wind  and  rain,  and  wondering  why 
he  was  permitted  to  start.  Had  he  been  within  reach  the 
meeting  would  have  been  called,  and  no  one  can  predict 
what  would  have  been  the  result.  But  the  meeting  was 
not  called,  and  after  consultation  with  Mr.  Yamamoto  it 
was  decided,  since  the  excitement  in  the  city  had  com- 
pletely subsided,  to  dedicate  the  new  buildings  with  relig- 
ious exercises,  to  have  morning  prayers  in  the  chapel,  to 
open  all  the  recitations  of  the  theological  department  with 
prayer,  and  to  teach  all  the  studies  and  give  all  the  lec- 
tures of  the  theological  department,  except  Bible  exegesis, 
in  the  new  building,  and  to  secure  a  third  building  in  Mr. 
Neesima's  name  for  the  exegesis.  The  new  buildings  were 
dedicated  on  the  morning  of  September  18,  1876 ;  they 
consisted  of  what  are  now  known  as  dormitories  No.  1  and 
No.  2.  The  exercises  consisted  of  a  prayer  of  invocation, 
reading  the  Scriptures,  sketch  of  the  founding  of  the 
school,  prayer  of  dedication,  addresses  in  Japanese  and 
English,  and  the  singing  of  two  hymns  in  Japanese  and 
three  in  English. 

At  this  time  Mr.  Neesima  wrote  as  follows  to  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Hardy :  "  I  must  express  my  heartfelt  thanks  to  you 
for  your  having  led  and  educated  me  in  such  a  way  that  I 
might  found  a  Christian  institution  on  my  dearly  beloved 
soil.    As  you  know  we  started  our  school  in  a  hired  house. 


66  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

but,  having  found  this  very  inconvenient,  we  began  the 
process  of  building  two  months  ago.  The  buildings  are 
three  in  number,  two  of  which  contain  recitation-rooms 
and  twenty-four  rooms  for  students,  while  the  other  is  a 
small  structure  and  is  used  for  a  dining-room  and  kitchen. 
They  are  simple  but  solid,  and  look  very  pretty  in  the 
open  space  about  them.  We  were  permitted  to  dedicate 
them  to  the  Lord  the  day  before  yesterday.  .  .  .  All  but 
two  of  our  Kyoto  mission  were  present,  and  about  seventy 
students,  besides  others  from  outside.  Mr.  Yamamoto's 
remarks  were  wonderfully  appropriate.  He  is  regarded 
as  one  of  our  best  thinkers,  although  bodily  feeble  and 
helpless.  The  existence  of  the  Kyoto  mission  is  largely 
due  to  him.  He  was  convinced  that  an  immoral  country 
like  Japan  could  not  be  purified  by  any  other  means  than 
Christianity,  and  by  his  influence  and  labor  the  proud  and 
dignified  governor  listened  to  us,  and  at  last  smiled  upon 
oui'  efforts.  In  the  dark  and  trying  hours  of  last  winter 
he  stood  up  for  us  and  did  his  best  to  persuade  the  gov- 
ernor. The  latter  made  no  interference  with  our  dedi- 
cation exercises.  You  will  be  glad  to  know  that  of  our 
forty-seven  boarding  students  more  than  haK  are  Chris- 
tians. They  have  come  to  us  with  the  purpose  of  study- 
ing the  Bible  and  fitting  themselves  for  the  ministry.  We 
are  very  fortunate  to  get  such  pupils  at  the  outset.  I  pray 
that  this  school  may  be  the  nucleus  of  a  future  college 
and  university  for  Japan.  Our  mission  work  has  also 
bright  prospects,  the  work  being  chiefly  carried  on  by  our 
students.  A  third  church  will  soon  be  formed.  My  aged 
parents  now  worship  God  instead  of  idols,  and  my  invalid 
sister,  who  grasps  spiritual  things  faster  than  these  aged 
ones,  takes  part  in  the  prayer-meetings  for  women  held  at 
my  house.  My  wife  attends  the  biblical  exercises  in  the 
school.    We  are  perfectly  happy  together,  and  I  am  try- 


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Marriage,  Trials,  and  Work  67 

ing  to  make  my  home  like  the  Christian  home  I  found  in 
America." 

Earlier  than  this  Mr.  Neesima  had  written  to  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Hardy:  "We  are  hated  by  the  magistrates  and 
priests,  but  we  have  planted  the  standard  of  truth  here, 
and  will  never  more  retreat.  To  no  one  else  but  you  will 
I  say  that  this  Christian  school  could  have  no  existence 
here  if  God  had  not  brought  this  poor  runaway  boy  to 
your  kind  hands.  The  only  way  to  get  along  in  this 
country  is  to  work  courageously,  even  under  many  diffi- 
culties." 

The  first  theological  haU,  shown  in  the  engraving, 
was  used  for  Bible-teaching  for  several  years,  until  this 
could  be  taught  in  the  regular  school-buildings.  This  old 
"No.  30,"  as  it  was  called,  was  a  great  contrast  to  the 
present  beautiful  theological  haU,  the  gift  of  Mrs.  Clarke 
of  Brooklyn,  in  memory  of  her  son.  (See  p.  100.) 

The  following  extracts  from  letters  written  by  members 
of  the  mission  in  1875-76  wiU  show  how  much  the  mission 
valued  the  work  and  influence  of  Mr.  Neesima  at  this 
time  :  "  Your  contribution  of  Mr.  Neesima  to  our  mission 
and  the  cause  of  Christ  in  Japan  is  one  whose  value  we 
feel  no  multiple  of  the  sum  you  have  invested  in  his  edu- 
cation can  represent.  We  are  charmed  by  his  thoroughly 
Christian  spirit.  ...  I  cannot  say  a  tithe  of  what  is  in 
my  heart.  .  .  .  There  seems  no  doubt  but  that  his  whole 
life,  being,  and  purpose  are  consecrated  to  the  Master  for 
the  redemption  of  his  people.  .  .  .  He  is  profoundly  grate- 
ful to  you  and  to  the  American  Board  for  what  you  and 
it  have  done  for  him  and  his  land ;  and  he  accepts  the  will 
of  the  board  and  of  our  mission  as  God's  wiU,  no  matter 
how  it  differs  from  his  own.  ...  If  he  is  guided  aright 
by  God's  Spirit,  and  kept  fii*m  to  his  purpose  and  work,  if 
his  health  is  spared,  I  feel  that  he  is  destined  to  accom- 


68  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

plish  as  much,  perhaps,  as  all  our  mission  put  together. 
.  .  .  We  need  him  for  a  larger  place  than  a  pastorate. 
We  need  him  as  a  teacher  in  the  training-school.  He  is 
better  fitted  for  some  department  of  teaching  than  any 
foreigner  ever  can  be.  We  also  need  him  as  an  evangel- 
ist— not  to  use  his  influence  always  in  the  same  place,  but 
to  go  about  awakening  interest.  .  .  .  For  a  long  time 
after  his  return  we  feared  he  would  break  entirely  down. 
He  was  able  to  sleep  but  very  little.  He  told  me  several 
times  during  those  first  few  months  that  when  he  thought 
about  these  millions  of  his  people  passing  into  eternity 
without  a  knowledge  of  Christ,  it  seemed  as  if  he  would 
go  crazy.  Since  the  opening  of  the  year  he  has  gradually 
improved,  and  is  sleeping  better.  This  is  partly  due  to 
the  successful  starting  of  the  school,  and  his  steady  work 
there ;  but  largely,  also,  to  his  marriage  and  settlement  in 
a  happy  home  of  his  own." 

The  constant  opposition  on  the  part  of  the  Kyoto-Fu  to 
the  school,  the  fact  that  the  Bible  could  not  be  taught  in 
the  school-buildings,  and  that  so  large  a  number  of  the  mis- 
sion were  not  satisfied  to  have  the  school  opened  and  car- 
ried on  in  the  new  buildings,  etc.,  led  to  continued  criticism 
of  the  school,  and  also  to  criticism  of  Mr.  Neesima  as  the 
virtual  Japanese  head  of  the  school.  He  felt  these  most 
keenly.  He  loved  the  members  of  the  Japan  mission,  and 
he  was  ever  loyal  to  it ;  and  anything  which  seemed  to  im- 
ply the  contrary  pained  him  beyond  measure.  So  great  did 
the  trial  become  that  in  September,  1876,  the  members  of 
the  station  sent  a  letter  to  the  members  of  the  mission  to  try 
to  remove  some  of  these  misunderstandings.  I  wiU  quote 
a  few  words  from  that  letter,  as  they  bring  out  one  of  Mr. 
Neesima's  remarkable  characteristics :  "  Still  fartlier,  Mr. 
Neesima  and  Mr.  Yamamoto,  as  the  nominal  proprietors 
of  the  school,  so  far  from  interfering  with  our  manage- 


Marriage^  Trials,  and  Work  69 

ment  of  the  school,  have  from  the  first  left  everything  in 
our  own  hands ;  the  exercises  of  the  dedication,  the  man- 
ner of  conducting  morning  prayers,  what  to  teach,  when 
to  teach,  how  to  teach,  the  employment  of  Japanese  teach- 
ers, the  ringing  of  the  bell,  the  management  of  the  food 
— all  these  things,  instead  of  being  suggested  by  them, 
have  been  suggested  by  us,  and  none  of  them  even  re- 
ferred to  Mr.  Yamamoto  at  all,  and  not  half  of  them  to 
Mr.  Neesima;  and  yet,  so  far  as  we  know,  Mr.  Neesima 
has  never  hinted  or  thought  a  word  of  complaint,  or 
asked  that  anything  be  changed.  He  even  comes  to  us 
to  consult  about  all  the  little  details  of  his  own  classes. 
He  has  not  expended  a  cent  of  the  money  which  has  been 
sent  to  him  to  use  as  he  pleased  for  the  school  without 
first  consulting  us,  and  he  has  then  invariably  followed 
out  our  suggestions.  We  have  been  as  free  to  run  the 
school  to  suit  ourselves,  from  our  first  connection  with  it, 
as  if  there  had  been  no  Japanese  proprietors,  or  as  if  it 
had  been  located  in  Chicago."  This  can  almost  as  truly 
be  said  after  fourteen  years  as  after  one  year. 

We  must  now  notice  at  some  length  another  wonderful 
work — hardly  less  wonderful  than  the  calling  and  prepa- 
ration of  Mr.  Neesima.  In  the  month  of  February,  1876, 
in  the  darkest  days  of  that  first  winter,  when  the  opposi- 
tion was  so  great  that  it  often  seemed  as  if  we  must  fail 
of  our  object  of  establishing  a  school  in  Kyoto,  the  writer 
received  a  large  letter  by  the  Japanese  post.  The  hand- 
writing was  strange  5  the  name,  too,  was  strange.  It  was 
written  from  the  old  castle  town  of  Kumamoto,  in  the 
middle  of  the  island  of  Kiushu,  by  Captain  L.  L.  Janes. 
In  it  he  asked  if  we  could  receive  into  our  school  a 
number  of  earnest  Christian  young  men,  graduates  of  his 
school,  to  fit  them  for  work  as  preachers  of  the  Gospel. 
We  did  not  know  that  such  a  man  was  in  existence  j  we 


V 


70  Joseph  Hardy  Weesima 

did  not  know  that  such  a  school  was  in  existence.  How 
did  all  this  happen  ? 

The  following  is  a  translation  (made  by  a  Japanese)  of 
an  account  of  the  work  of  Captaui  Janes,  prepared  by 
Paul  Kanamori,  one  of  his  pupils,  who  was  a  leading 
member  of  the  Kumamoto  Band: 

"  In  1871,  Captain  L.  L.  Janes  came  to  Kumamoto  upon 
the  invitation  of  the  daimio  of  Higo,  and  estabhshed  a 
school  where  foreign  knowledge  was  to  be  taught.  The 
daimio  was  decided  in  his  desire  for  a  military  officer,  be- 
cause he  feared  that  if  he  employed  an  ordinary  scholar 
the  youths  of  the  province  would  fall  into  hterary  weak- 
ness, and  so  the  bold  spiiit  of  the  province  would  be  lost. 
So  he  employed  this  learned  and  valorous  officer  in  order 
to  introduce  the  sciences  of  the  West,  and  at  the  same 
time  stimulate  the  military  spirit  of  the  young  men. 

"  Captain  Janes  having  been  employed  with  this  end  in 
view,  his  cu-cumstances  were  vqtj  different  from  those  of 
the  missionaries.  At  that  time  Japan  was  still  unenlight- 
ened, particularly  in  the  vicinity  of  Kumamoto.  The 
number  of  men  who  were  yet  opposed  to  Christianity  was 
very  great,  so  that  even  the  lives  of  Captain  and  Mrs. 
Janes  were  by  no  means  free  from  danger.  The  pupils 
were  largely  sons  of  the  rough  and  turbulent  men  of  the 
place,  and  it  may  be  readily  seen  that  to  teach  Christian- 
ity to  them  was  a  very  dehcate  and  difficult  task.  No 
pupil  could  understand  English,  and  Captain  Janes  did 
not  understand  the  Japanese  language,  so  that  the  diffi- 
culty of  communication  was  extreme. 

"  For  the  first  two  or  three  years  Captain  Janes  said 
little  or  nothing  about  Christianity,  but  gave  his  whole 
strength  to  teaching  English  and  the  sciences;  but  he 
was  so  kind  and  fatherly  in  his  treatment  of  his  pupils 


Marriage,  Trials,  and  WorJc  71 

that  they  came  to  forget  that  he  was  a  foreigner,  and  they 
gladly  listened  to  whatever  he  said  to  them. 

"As  he  was  a  fervent  Christian  his  desire  to  preach  to 
the  pupils  mnst  have  been  intense ;  but  under  the  circum- 
stances he  wisely  contented  himself  with  first  seeking  to 
win  his  pupils'  hearts  as  the  best  possible  preparation  for 
the  futui-e  sowing  of  the  Gospel  seed.  After  he  had  been 
there  about  three  years  he  one  day  said  to  us,  '  I  shall 
teach  the  Bible  on  Sunday;  any  one  who  wishes  may 
come  to  my  house.'  We  still  hated  Christianity  as  though 
it  were  a  snake,  and  did  not  like  even  to  see  a  Bible ;  but 
we  so  respected  him  that  we  concluded  to  go  to  the  meet- 
ing. One  of  us  went  to  the  teacher  of  Chinese  and  asked 
his  consent.  He  replied  that  we  might  go  to  learn  about 
Christianity,  not  to  believe  it,  but  to  study  its  strong  and 
weak  points  in  order  to  oppose  it.  And  so,  of  the  few 
who  went,  some  went  simply  out  of  curiosity,  others  for 
amusement,  others  that  they  might  oppose — none  with  a 
desire  to  accept  it.  The  portions  of  the  New  Testament 
that  we  read  had  no  flavor  for  us,  and  the  time  seemed 
spent  in  vain.  But  our  teacher  was  kind  and  assiduous 
in  his  teaching,  and  fervent  in  his  prayers  for  us.  Dur- 
ing his  prayer,  which  seemed  tedious  to  us,  we  sometimes 
opened  our  eyes  and  looked  upon  his  face  with  its  closed 
and  tearful  eyes,  and  then  we  laughed,  saying  that  '•  Amer- 
icans weep.^  At  this  time  he  simply  taught  the  Bible,  and 
never  exhorted  us  to  become  Christians;  and  when  two 
of  us  thought  to  impose  upon  him  by  pretending  that  we 
wished  to  become  preachers,  he  met  them  sternly,  saying, 
'  You  are  not  yet  worthy  to  become  preachers ;  go  on  with 
your  Bible  study.'  A  year  later,  in  1875,  a  few  were  reaUy 
touched  by  the  Gospel,  and  this  was  followed  by  a  divi- 
sion of  the  students  into  two  parties,  the  one  favorable  to 


72  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

Christianity,  the  other  seeking  to  oppose  it  by  reviving 
the  study  of  '  The  Great  Learning '  and  '  The  Doctrine  of 
the  Mean/  as  taught  by  the  Chinese  sages.  In  August 
of  the  same  year,  Captain  Janes  added  preaching  to  his 
biblical  instruction.  His  sermons  were  long — sometimes 
three  hours  long — but  as  we  had  become  interested  in 
Christianity  they  were  never  tiresome  to  us.  All  who 
attended  these  meetings  were  studying  the  Confucian 
morahty  at  the  house  of  the  Chinese  teacher  every  Sun- 
day afternoon,  and  so,  for  a  while,  we  were  studying 
Christianity  with  Captain  Janes  in  the  mornings  and 
Confucianism  with  the  Chinese  teacher  in  the  afternoons. 
For  about  six  months  we  were  thus  divided  in  our  ad- 
miration for  Christianity  and  Confucianism,  but  by  the 
end  of  the  year  all  except  one  or  two  were  united  in  their 
belief  in  Christianity. 

"  By  Captain  Janes's  advice  some  of  us  spent  the  New 
Year's  vacation  in  the  study  of  the  Gospel  of  John,  and 
in  prayer  to  God  for  his  blessing  upon  ourselves  and  our 
classmates.  [When  the  new  term  opened  these  Christian 
students  had  a  faith  which  burned  like  fire,  so  that  they 
could  not  but  preach  to  theii*  fellow- students  and  try  to 
lead  them  to  the  gate  of  salvation.  The  whole  school  was 
like  a  boiling  caldron;  the  studies  were  neglected,  and 
groups  of  five,  six,  or  seven  men  began  to  study  the  Bible 
2  in  the  recitation-rooms,  the  dining-room,  or  in  their  pri- 
t  vate  rooms.  These  students  had  but  little  knowledge  of 
the  Bible  or  of  theology,  but  they  were  impelled  to  preach, 
even  though  some  of  them  were  not  more  than  twelve 
years  old.  The  recitations  were  suspended,  and  Captain 
Janes  gave  himself  to  the  work  of  preaching  the  Gospel 
to  the  students.  We  had  not  even  heard  of  the  word 
'revival,'  and  knew  nothing  of  the  special  workings  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.     We  wondered  why  our  spirits  burned  like  a 


Marriage,  TrialSj  and  Worlv  73 

fire,  and  why  we  preached  the  Gospel  like  madmen.  One 
said,  '  May  not  this  be  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  men- 
tioned in  the  Bible  ? '  And  others  answered,  '■  Yes,  it  may 
be/  Our  preaching  was  not  confined  to  the  school,  but 
found  its  way  to  the  servants  of  the  teachers,  our  kindred 
in  our  homes,  old  men  and  women  in  the  streets,  and  so  om 

"  Now  I  must  speak  of  one  who  was  secretly  praying 
in  her  closet,  who  received  an  open  reward  from  her 
Heavenly  Father.  This  was  Mrs.  Janes.  She  had  no 
acquaintance  with  the  students,  but  for  many  months  her 
mind  had  been  filled  with  intense  desire  for  the  salvation 
of  the  students,  and  she  prayed  day  and  night  for  the 
Holy  Spirit  to  come  upon  them.  This  was  the  hidden 
cause  of  the  revival.  This  revival  continued  for  about  a 
month,  and  those  who  confessed  faith  in  Christ  numbered 
over  forty,  and  more  than  forty  others  were  studying  the 
Bible.  On  the  last  Sunday  in  January  (January  30, 1876), 
a  beautiful  springlike  day,  the  Christian  students  went 
out  to  a  hill,  Hana-oka-yama,  southwest  of  Kumamoto — a 
hill  since  made  famous  as  the  spot  where  Saigo  Takamori 
placed  his  cannon  to  bombard  Kumamoto.  They  went 
singing  hymns  as  they  climbed  the  hill,  and,  taking  their 
seats  in  a  circle  on  its  summit,  they  made  a  solemn  cove- 
nant together,  that  as  they  had  been  thus  blessed  by  God 
in  advance  of  all  their  countrymen,  they  would  labor  to 
enlighten  the  darkness  of  the  empire  by  preaching  the 
Gospel,  even  at  the  sacrifice  of  their  lives.  '  They  prayed 
kneehng,  and  wrote  an  oath-paper,  on  which  they  signed 
and  sealed  their  names.' 

"  The  fact  that  this  covenant  had  been  made  became 
known,  and  all  those  connected  with  the  school  cried  out 
in  dismay,  'Alas!  the  students  have  become  Christian 
priests.  Captain  Janes  has  made  Christians  of  them.  If 
this  be  not  stopped  our  hopes  for  the  school  will  be  gone.' 


74  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

"At  tills  time  tlie  life  of  Captain  Janes  was  in  great 
danger,  and  the  Christian  students  were  persecuted  in  a 
thousand  ways,  for  Christianity  was  looked  upon  as  a  kind 
of  witchcraft.  One  mother  said  to  her  son,  ^  If  you  don't 
abandon  Christianity  I  must  kill  myself  in  order  to  wipe 
out  the  stain  which  you  have  cast  upon  yoin*  ancestors.' 
A  father  said,  '  If  you  don't  give  up  your  faith  I  will  kiU 

;  you  immediately.'     One  student  was  confined  in  his  room 

I    for  one  hundred  days,  and  was  finally  driven  from  home. 

\  There  was  not  one  who  was  not  more  or  less  persecuted. 
On  this  account  the  number  fell  off  to  less  than  thirty. 
But  the  true  believers,  although  the  oldest  was  under 
twenty  years  of  age,  were  immovable  in  their  faith,  and 

1  read}^  even  to  sacrifice  their  lives.  They  were  constantly 
encouraged  and  comforted  by  Captain  Janes,  and  enabled 
to  stand  against  the  persecutions,  which  continued  for 
about  six  months ;  so  that  the  believers  not  only  gained 
the  victory,  but  were  made  all  the  stronger  by  their  per- 
secutions. By  the  following  autumn.  Captain  Janes  left 
Kumamoto,  and  the  Christians  went  to  the  Doshisha 
school  in  Kyoto,  to  prepare  themselves  more  fully  for  the 
preaching  of  the  Gospel." 

The  following  is  a  translation  of  the  covenant  referred 
to,  which  was  drawn  up  and  signed  by  the  Kumamoto 
Band  at  this  time : 

"  When  we  first  studied  the  Western  religion  we  were 
greatly  impressed,  and  as  we  afterward  studied  it  more 
we  were  still  more  impressed,  and  were  impelled  to  accept 
it  with  great  joy;  and  now  we  wish  to  spread  this  religion 
in  this  empire,  and  thus  enlighten  the  ignorance  of  the 
people.  The  fact,  however,  that  the  people  do  not  under- 
stand the  wonderful  doctrine  of  the  Western  religion,  and 
so  obstinately  hold  to  their  old  opinions,  is  a  great  sor- 


t— » 
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o 

o 


Marriage,  Trials,  and  Work  75 

row.  At  this  time,  if  any  one  has  patriotism,  he  ought  to 
rise  up  with  enthusiasm  and  account  his  life  as  dust,  and 
bear  witness  to  the  catholicity  and  greatness  of  the  West- 
ern rehgion.  This  is  what  we  ought  to  do  with  all  our 
might.  Therefore,  holding  the  same  principles,  we  meet 
together  on  Hana-oka-yama  and  affirm  our  desire  to  work 
together  for  this  religion  with  one  accord. 

"  1.  Those  who  have  entered  this  religion  must  unite 
together  with  brotherly  love,  and  mutually  watch  over 
and  approve  each  other,  separating  from  evil  and  cleav- 
ing to  good ;  and  thus  practically  show  forth  our  faith  by 
our  works. 

"  2.  If,  after  once  entering  this  way,  one  does  not  follow 
it,  he  hes  against  God  and  deceives  his  own  heart ;  such 
an  one  will  certainly  receive  punishment  from  God. 

"3.  At  the  present  time,  since  many  of  the  people  of 
this  empire  deny  the  Western  religion,  if  one  of  our  num- 
ber wanders  from  this  way  he  will  not  only  deserve  the 
public  reproach,  but  we  shall  finally  fail  of  obtaining  our 
great  purpose  -,  hence  how  careful  should  we  be  to  fulfil 
this  pledge ! 

"Hana-oka-yama,  January  30,  1876,  Sabbath." 

As  showing  the  spirit  of  the  man  who  was  the  in- 
strument in  God's  hands  to  do  this  wonderful  work, 
and  also  some  phases  of  that  work,  I  will  quote  from 
some  of  Captain  Janes's  letters  received  during  those 
trjdng  months.  _  In  his  first  letter,  dated  February  7, 
1876,  he  says :  k  My  work  in  the  school  has  been  accom- 
panied, from  the  time  when  it  was  possible  to  speak  of 
Christianity,  by  constant  and  direct  religious  instruction 
of  my  pupils ;  in  fact,  the  whole  work  has  been  inspired 
from  the  first  with  the  one  aim,  on  my  part,  of  making  it, 
under  God,  subserve  the  founding  and  upbuilding  here  of 


76  Joseph  Hardy  JSfeesima 

the  kingdom  of  Christ,  and  so  the  highest  welfare  of  those 
committed  to  my  instruction  and  the  large  community- 
influenced  by  them  and  the  school."]  Again  he  wiites, 
March  4th :  ^'  Meantime,  my  boys  and  I  have  been  passing 
through  unusual  events,  to  say  the  least ;  and  the  mutter- 
ings  of  a  sharp,  vindictive,  and  exciting  persecution  are 
still  in  the  air  around  us."  "  I  think  the  little  colony  is 
practically  intact ;  no  lives  have  been  taken,  though  that 
was  threatened  seriously  enough ;  and  there  are  no  cases 
of  Jiara-Mri  yet  to  report,  though  a  mother  in  one  family 
and  a  father  in  another  took  that  method  of  driving  their 
sons  from  the  faith ;  their  degradation  was  declared  to  be 
insupportable."  '^  I  grieve  over  my  imprisoned  Christian 
boys.  The  physical  strength  of  one  is  failing,  and  the 
unthinking  persecutors  may  kill  him.  I  understand  there 
was  an  auto  da  fe  of  his  Bibles  a  few  days  since." 

Again,  May  25th :  "  They  blame  me  here,  by  implica- 
tion, for  educating  preachers ;  I  say  nothing,  but  I  have 
come  to  see  that  they  need  preachers  and  teachers  of  the 
'True  Light'  more  than  any  other  educated  workmen. 
iThe  sham  civilization  they  would  build  of  a  film  of  West- 
ern materialism  dignified  by  the  name  of  science  and 
civilization,  leaving  the  soul  and  all  its  needs  unprovided 
for,  is  a  hollow  bubble  that  will  bui'st  one  of  these  days. 
It  is  easy  enough  to  kick  a  hole  through  it  now ;  and  un- 
less the  successive  accretions  are  made  to  crystallize  around 
the  central  principles  of  truth,  justice,  and  liberty,  and  a 
wisdom  large  enough  to  satisfy  the  soul — Christ,  the  soul's 
want ;  God,  the  soul's  author ;  and  immortality,  the  soul's 
destiny — why,  I  don't  know  but  the  old  nursery  style  were 
better  than  the  violent  ruptures  and  fearful  reaction  that 
must  occur  till  the  higher  plane  of  progress  is  reached." 

Here  are  also  a  few  words  from  a  letter  Captain  Janes 
sent  up  by  the  first  one  of  his  graduates  who  started  for 


Marriage,  Trials,  and  Work  77 

I 
Kyoto,  dated  June  25,  1876  :  "  He  was  one  of  the  first  to     • 

see  the  light,  to  be  convinced  of  the  saving  power  of 
Christianity,  and  to  give  his  heart  unalterably  to  Jesus, 
^  all  to  leave  and  follow  him ; '  and  as  a  consequence  he 
has  been  subjected  to  the  most  cruel  and  outrageous 
treatment  at  the  hands  of  his  brother,  and  has  endured 
an  imprisonment  of  some  one  hundred  and  twenty  days. 
He  was  made  the  slave  of  the  servants  of  his  family,  who 
were  instructed  to  treat  him  as  devil-possessed,  without 
human  rights.  He  is  now  practically  an  outcast.  He  is 
as  a  shorn  lamb ;  he  is  leaving  all." 

In  September  fifteen  graduates  of  Captain  Janes's 
school,  and  as  many  more  under-graduates,  entered  our 
school.  These  graduates  were  most  of  them  virtually 
cast  off  by  their  friends  for  their  faith  in  Christ,  and  they 
came  to  us  with  the  clothes  they  wore  and  an  Enghsh 
Bible  as  their  sole  earthly  possessions.  They  found  the 
school  poorly  organized,  and  were  at  first  much  dissatis- 
fied. Captain  Janes,  however,  encouraged  them  to  stay, 
and  they  remained,  and  spent  three  years  in  theological 
study,  supporting  themselves  by  teaching  the  younger 
classes  in  the  school,  and  graduating  from  the  theological 
department  in  June,  1879.  Three  of  them  were  retained 
as  teachers  in  the  school,  and  the  others  went  out  as 
teachers  and  preachers,  and  have  been  among  the  best 
Christian  workers  in  Japan  for  the  last  ten  years  5  Mr. 
Kosaki  in  Tokyo,  Mr.  Yebina  in  Joshu,  Mr.  Miyagawa  in 
Osaka,  Mr.  Kanamori  in  Okayama,  and  Mr.  Ise  in  Shikoku, 
have  done  work  which  has  changed  the  history  of  Japan 
already.  Five  of  these  men  are  now  connected  with  the 
school  as  teachers.  Their  coming  into  the  school  at  that 
early  day  gave  a  Christian  tone  to  the  school,  and  their  in- 
fluence was  felt  in  molding  the  Doshisha  morally,  and  in 
shaping  its  course  of  study.     They  have  helped  to  make 


78  Joseph  Hardij  Neesima 

the  scliool  what  it  is,  and  they  came  to  love  Mr.  Neesima 
and  to  be  loved  by  him  as  brothers. 

The  school  gradually  increased  in  numbers,  so  that 
during  the  third  school  year  we  had  over  one  hundred 
students.  Such  was  the  feeling  of  opposition  in  Kyoto, 
however,  that  we  had  very  few  students  from  the  city 
during  the  first  five  years ;  nearly  half  of  them  came  from 
the  island  of  Kiushu,  led  by  the  example  and  influence  of 
the  Kumamoto  Band. 

The  opposition  on  the  part  of  the  officials  in  Kyoto 
grew  stronger  and  stronger.  December  23,  1877,  Mr. 
Neesima  wrote :  "  I  wish  to  inform  you  of  a  recent  event 
which  happened  in  Kyoto.  My  brother-in-law,  the  blind 
Yamamoto,  lost  his  connection  with  the  Kyoto-Fu  yester- 
day ;  I  believe  he  lost  his  connection  with  the  Fu  on  ac- 
count of  his  connection  with  us."  In  the  winter  of  1879 
Dr.  Learned's  permission  to  reside  in  Kyoto  and  teach  in 
the  school  had  nearly  expired ;  if  his  permission  was  not 
renewed  it  would  leave  only  one  foreign  teacher  in  the 
school ;  the  requests  made  by  the  Doshisha  for  others  to 
teach  in  the  school  had  been  refused,  and  Mr.  Neesima 
was  very  anxious,  during  those  months,  about  the  very 
existence  of  the  school.  It  was  only  after  repeated  soUci- 
tation  with  the  Fu  authorities  here,  and  a  visit  to  Tokyo 
and  a  personal  interview  with  Mr.  Mori,  then  at  the  head 
of  the  foreign  department,  that  Dr.  Learned's  permit  was 
finally  obtained. 

The  whole  situation  during  these  first  years  was  a  great 
strain  upon  Mr.  Neesima.  Some  of  his  best  Japanese 
friends  told  him  he  was  ruining  his  influence  by  receiv- 
ing the  money  for  his  support  from  his  benefactor,  Mr. 
Hardy,  and  advised  him  to  refuse  to  receive  it  and  try  to 
support  himself.  He  was  at  one  time  inclined  to  yield 
to  the  criticisms  of  his  friends,  and  refuse  to  receive  Mr. 


Marriage,  Trials,  and  WorJc  79 

Hardy's  benefaction  longer.  On  one  occasion,  when  all 
these  trials  seemed  to  be  crushing  him,  he  said  to  the 
writer  with  strong  crying  and  tears,  "  Oh,  that  I  could  be 
crucified  once  for  Chi-ist,  and  be  done  with  it ! "  This 
opposition  lasted  about  six  years,  and  seriously  affected 
his  general  health. 

The  following  is  an  extract  from  one  of  his  letters  to 
Mr.  Hardy :  "  I  must  be  thankful  for  the  wise  manage- 
ment of  the  American  Board  in  sustaining  our  Kyoto  in- 
stitutions. Let  the  present  arrangement  continue  as  long 
as  it  may  be  needful.  According  to  your  kind  fatherly 
advice  I  will  be  careful,  and  try  to  do  all  things  in  a  per- 
fect harmony  with  our  missionaries.  I  shall  be  careful 
not  to  find  fault  in  others.  We  were  terribly  attacked  by 
some  brethren  in  other  stations.  I  attempted  to  defend 
our  position.  It  is  all  over  now.  I  shall  say  nothing 
about  them,  of  them,  or  against  them.  There  is  now 
perfect  harmony  between  the  different  stations  of  our 
mission.  The  last  two  months  were  the  hardest  ones  I 
have  ever  experienced  since  my  return  to  Japan.  I  found 
myself  in  the  lowest  stratum,  and  received  the  whole 
pressure  upon  myseK.  A  heavy  trial  with  respect  to  the 
government,  and  grave  troubles  among  our  native  breth- 
ren, and  also  in  our  school.  Oh,  heavy  burdens !  I  bore 
them  chiefly  on  myseK  by  His  help,  but  I  think  I  came 
pretty  near  to  burst  up  my  brains." 

One  trouble  with  the  government  to  which  he  refers 
above  was  that  they  were  exceedingly  averse  to  having  a 
school  in  Kyoto  which  was  supported  with  foreign  money, 
unless  that  fund  were  given  directly  to  the  Doshisha  com- 
pany ;  and  in  November,  1879,  on  retui-ning  from  Annaka, 
Mr.  Neesima  received  the  good  news  that  the  appropria- 
tion for  the  school  for  the  next  year  had  been  placed  in 
the  hands  of  the  Doshisha  company.     The  joy  and  relief 


80  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

which  this  brought  were  inexpressible.  He  wrote  to  Mr. 
Hardy,  December  27,  1879  :  '^  I  found  your  last  letter  on 
my  arrival  home.  When  I  read  it  I  exclaimed,  '  The  good 
Lord  has  done  it ! '  My  rejoicing  was  mingled  with  run- 
ning tears.  I  knelt  down  before  the  Lord  with  my  wife, 
and  gave  him  our  heartfelt  thanks.  Next  to  the  Lord  I 
must  express  my  gratitude  to  you  for  your  deep  interest 
in  us.  I  must  also  thank  the  gentlemen  of  the  Board. 
Through  this  action  I  shall  be  relieved  from  grave  diffi- 
culty. Step  by  step  the  plots  of  our  enemies  are  defeated. 
'  Delight  thyself  in  the  Lord  j  and  he  shall  give  thee  the 
desire  of  thy  heart.  Commit  thy  way  unto  the  Lord; 
trust  also  in  him;  and  he  shall  bring  it  to  pass.'  Oh, 
what  precious  promises  they  are  unto  us  !  I  am  wonder- 
ing why  God  has  chosen  a  weak  instrumentality  such  as  I 
am,  weak  both  in  body  and  mind,  for  promoting  his  king- 
dom in  this  empire.  I  could  simply  say  to  him,  ^  Here  I 
am ;  employ  me  in  thy  vineyard  if  thou  findest  a  pleasure 
in  thy  humble  servant.'  In  my  later  experience  I  find 
more  than  ever  nothingness  in  me." 

In  1876  a  school  for  girls  was  opened  in  the  house  of 
one  of  the  missionaries,  in  which  Mrs.  Neesima  and  Miss 
Starkweather  taught,  and  about  two  years  later  it  was  re- 
moved to  its  present  location  in  a  building  erected  for  that 
purpose.  The  care  of  all  this  school  work  as  it  grew  larger 
and  larger,  and  the  great  number  of  outside  calls  which 
came  upon  Mr.  Neesima,  were  a  perpetual  strain.  Then, 
again,  Mr.  Neesima's  reputation  as  one  of  the  few  men 
who  had  been  thoroughly  educated  abroad,  and  his  con- 
nection with  the  Iwakura  embassj^,  brought  many  callers 
to  his  house,  and  occupied  a  great  deal  of  his  time ;  he 
was  also  consulted  in  regard  to  church  work  and  mission- 
ary work,  and  in  difficulties  which  arose  in  the  churches 
or  between  individuals. 


Marriage,  Trials,  and  Work  81 

His  heart  was  always  warmly  interested  in  the  rapid 
spread  of  the  Gospel  in  Japan,  and  he  made  many  mission- 
ary tours  himself,  and  earnestly  proclaimed  the  Gospel. 
He  wrote  from  Tokyo,  February  13,  1879,  a  letter  from 
which  the  following  is  an  extract :  "  I  started  for  Annaka 
on  last  Friday  morning  at  three  o'clock  a.m."  This  was 
in  the  hasha,  or  wagon,  which  at  that  time  ran  between 
Tokyo  and  Annaka.  "  It  was  then  snowing,  and  I  found 
myself  chilled  through.  I  reached  Annaka  toward  even- 
ing ;  although  I  found  myself  rather  tired  I  was  obHged 
to  receive  quite  a  number  of  visitors  that  evening ;  then 
on  Saturday  the  visitors  poured  in  from  the  early  morn- 
ing, and  there  was  scarcely  a  time  for  me  to  rest  till  the 
evening.  We  held  a  prayer-meeting  on  that  evening. 
There  were  two  candidates  for  baptism;  the  meeting 
lasted  more  than  two  hours.  Another  church  meeting  was 
held  on  Sunday  morning.  In  the  afternoon  I  preached  in 
the  usual  way  and  ofliciated  at  the  Lord's  Supper.  In  the 
evening  we  held  a  prayer-meeting ;  it  was  a  very  warm 
and  lively  meeting  and  lasted  more  than  two  hours.  I 
was  so  excited  by  the  meeting  that  I  could  not  sleep  at  aU. 
At  12.30  A.M.  on  Monday  morning  I  left  Annaka  on  a  coach, 
and  reached  Tokyo  at  1.30  p.m.  I  am  glad  to  say  that  the 
Annaka  church  is  growing,  and  before  the  summer  there 
may  be  half  a  dozen  candidates  for  baptism.  I  have  taken 
cold  ever  since  I  went  to  Annaka."  He  took  this  ride  of 
nearly  a  hundi*ed  miles,  and  thus  hurried  back,  because 
he  had  had  a  weighty  case  of  arbitration  put  into  his 
hands  in  Tokyo,  which  he  must  attend  to  that  Monday 
afternoon. 

Mr.  Neesima,  during  those  years,  usually  attended  the 
business  meetings  of  the  mission,  and  also  the  prayer- 
meeting  in  Enghsh  of  the  station,  it  being  held  once  a 
week  in  turn  at  our  houses,  his  house  having  its  turn  with 


82  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

the  rest.  We  shall  never  forget  his  simple,  earnest  prayers 
in  English  at  those  meetings.  He  taught  classes  in  the 
school  in  the  early  years,  and  he  always  gained  the  deep 
love  of  his  pupils  and  of  all  who  came  in  close  contact  with 
him  5  his  silent  influence  in  the  school  was  very  strong  and 
pervasive.  He  also  took  an  active  part  in  the  formation 
of  the  Japanese  Home  Missionary  Society,  connected  with 
the  Congregational  churches,  w^as  its  first  president,  and 
had  a  large  part  in  superintending  its  work  for  many 
years. 


V 

BROADENING  PLANS— TOUR  ABROAD 


"  Commit  thy  way  unto  the  Lord ;  trust  also  in  him ;  and  he  shall 
bring  it  to  pass."—Ts.  xxxvii.  5. 

"Best  is  not  quitting  the  husy  career  ; 
j       Best  is  the  fitting  of  self  to  one^s  sphere." 

'^  Build  thee  more  stately  mansions,  0  my  soul, 
As  the  sivift  seasons  roll ! 
Leave  thy  loic-vauUed  past ! 
Let  each  new  teynple,  nobler  than  the  last, 
Shut  thee  from  heaven  with  a  dome  more  vast, 
TiU  thou  at  length  art  free, 
Leaving  thine  outgrown  shell  by  lifers  unresting  sea." 

O.  W.  Holmes. 

"In  the  worWs  broad  field  of  battle. 
In  the  bivouac  of  life. 
Be  not  like  dumb,  driven  cattle — 
Be  a  hero  in  the  strife. 


**  Trust  no  future,  hoive'er  pleasant! 
Let  the  dead  past  bury  its  dead! 
Act — act  in  the  living  present, 
Heart  within  and  God  overhead ! " 

Longfellow. 


84 


CHAPTER  V 

BROADENING  PLANS — TOUR  ABROAD 

In  the  year  1883  Mr.  Neesima  began  to  think  and  plan 
actively  to  enlist  interest  among  Japanese  friends  in  the 
establishment  of  a  university,  or  in  the  broadening  out  of 
the  Doshisha  into  a  Christian  university.  Up  to  this  time 
the  school  had  only  been  known  in  Japan  as  a  Christian 
school,  and  the  general  idea  among  the  leading  men  in  the 
empire  was  that  it  was  a  school  simpty  for  training  Chris- 
tian preachers  and  evangelists ;  this  was  the  very  natural 
conclusion  from  the  fact  that  most  of  the  graduates  up  to 
that  time  had  engaged  in  active  Christian  work.  For  this 
reason  it  was  a  very  difficult  matter  to  appeal  for  help  for 
the  school ;  but  Mr.  Neesima  never  swerved  from  his  great 
purpose  of  a  Christian  school,  nor  from  stating  that  pub- 
licly in  his  appeals.  It  was  important  to  show  the  public 
that  something  besides  the  Bible  and  theology  was  taught 
in  the  school,  and  that  its  aim  was  a  broader  one  than  sim- 
ply the  training  of  evangelists  5  but  it  was  always  made 
very  clear  that  the  foundation  of  the  school  was  Christian, 
and  that  Christianity  was  the  foundation  of  the  morality 
taught  in  it. 

The  writer  was  present  at  the  first  public  meeting  held 
for  the  purpose  of  awakening  an  interest  in  the  university 
among  the  Japanese ;  it  was  held  in  a  large  haU  in  Kyoto, 
in  the  spring  of  1884.  About  fifty  of  the  officials  and 
leading  business  men  of  the  city  were  present,  and  Mr. 

85 


S6  Joseph  Hardy  Neemma 

Neesiioa,  Professor  Ichihara,  and  the  writer  each  ad- 
dressed the  meeting.  Professor  Ichihara's  speech  was 
one  of  the  most  ringing  appeals  for  Christianity  as  the 
necessary  foundation  of  all  education  to  which  I  ever  lis- 
tened. The  printed  appeals  which  were  made  later  speak 
for  themselves. 

The  following  is  a  free  translation  of  the  first  general 
appeal  for  the  university.  It  was  prepared  by  Mr.  Neesima 
and  Mr.  Yamamoto,  and  issued  in  May,  1884. 

u  T^^Q  recent  political  changes  in  Japan  have  swept  away 
feudalism,  which  has  been  the  basis  of  society  for  many 
hundred  years;  and  the  influence  of  these  changes  has 
grown  stronger  and  stronger  until  the  society  of  Japan 
is  very  greatly  changed.  It  appears  Hke  a  new  Japan. 
There  are  many  who  say  that  the  government,  the  educa- 
tion, the  commerce,  and  the  industries  which  have  existed 
in  Japan  must  be  improved.  We  heartily  agree  with  their 
purpose  as  right  and  important  to  our  civilization ;  but  at 
the  present  time,  when  we  look  carefully  at  the  condition 
of  the  country,  there  is  one  thing  which  gives  us  great  sor- 
row. What  is  that?  It  is  that  there  does  not  exist  in 
Japan  a  university  which  is  founded  upon  the  most  pure 
morality,  and  which  teaches  the  new  science.  This  is  a 
necessary  foundation  of  our  civilization.  In  natural  beau- 
ty and  natural  advantages  Japan  is  not  inferior  to  Europe 
and  America.  Why,  then,  is  its  civilization  so  different 
from  theirs  ?  It  is  also  certain  that  there  are  in  Japan  but 
few  noted  men  of  earnest  purpose.  Hence  we  need  uni- 
versities in  Japan. 

"  We  can  learn  from  the  examples  which  Europe  gives 
us.  In  the  sixteenth  century  the  great  leader,  Luther, 
said,  ^If  parents  or  brothers  refuse  to  send  children  to 
school  they  are  enemies  of  the  state,  and  they  ought  to  be 
punished.'    The  learned  German,  Fichte,  said,  ^  The  reason 


Broadening  Plans — Tour  Abroad  87 

that  our  nation  stands  first  in  civilization  among  the  coun- 
tries of  Europe  is  in  the  power  which  comes  from  our  uni- 
versities/ The  twelfth  century  was  the  dawning  period 
of  European  civilization.  At  that  time  Greek  philosophy 
was  studied  in  the  Paris  University.  In  Italy  the  ancient 
Roman  laws  were  studied  in  the  University  of  Bologna. 
Between  that  time  and  the  year  1600  the  universities  of 
Oxford  and  Cambridge  were  founded  in  England,  Edin- 
burgh and  Glasgow  in  Scotland,  Prague,  Heidelberg,  Leip- 
sic,  Tubingen,  and  Jena  in  Germany,  and  Dubhn  Univer- 
sity was  founded  in  Ireland.  Besides  these,  universities 
have  been  founded  in  HoUand,  Spain,  Portugal,  and  Aus- 
tria. 

"Abelard,  Roger  Bacon,  Kepler,  Gahleo,  Lord  Bacon, 
Locke,  Newton,  Milton,  Leibnitz,  Kant,  Reid,  and  Hamil- 
ton were  famous  in  those  countries  as  great  scholars.  As 
reformers  of  politics  and  religion,  Pym,  Hampden,  Pitt, 
Fox,  Burke,  Johnson,  WycMe,  Luther,  Calvin,  and  John 
Knox  were  noted.  By  these  universities  alL  science  and 
philosophy  have  been  improved  and  advanced ;  by  them 
feudalism  and  despotism  have  been  destroyed ;  by  them 
the  social  ranks  and  the  powers  of  the  nobles  and  priests 
have  been  resisted ;  by  them  the  desire  for  liberty  and  the 
demand  for  self-government  have  been  awakened.  The 
English  Revolution  and  the  religious  Reformation  have 
occurred,  which  have  completely  changed  the  condition  of 
Europe.  In  the  year  1800  there  were  over  100  universi- 
ties in  Europe.  That  the  civilization  of  Europe  has  been 
rapidly  advanced  by  the  universities  is  a  most  patent  fact. 

''Now  look  at  the  American  universities  and  colleges, 
which  number  over  300,  and  of  wliich  only  8  have  been 
built  by  the  government.  Harvard,  Yale,  Princeton,  Am- 
herst, WiUiams,  Dartmouth,  and  Oberlin  are  noted,  espe- 
cially the  first,  which  is  the  most  famous  one ;  in  it  are 


88  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

now  110  professors  and  a  librarj^  containing  134,000  vol- 
umes, and  its  endowment  amounts  to  $14,854,372.  In 
1872  thero  were  in  tlie  United  States  298  colleges  and 
universities,  but  during  the  seven  years  to  1879,  Q>Q>  were 
added.  This  great  growth  of  higher  education  in  the 
United  States  is  a  very  wonderful  thing  in  the  world. 

"  In  the  year  1620  the  Pilgrim  fathers  landed  in  Plym- 
outh ;  they  came  that  they  might  enjoy  freedom  to  wor- 
ship God.  They  established  a  school  which  was  founded 
upon  Christian  morality.  Since  that  time,  during  two 
hundred  and  sixty  years,  their  descendants  have  inherited 
the  spirit  and  carried  out  the  purpose  of  the  fathers  j  they 
have  believed  that  such  schools  would  diminish  the  num- 
ber of  evil-doers  and  increase  the  number  of  those  who  do 
good  J  that  they  would  encourage  the  spirit  of  libertj^  and 
become  the  foundation  of  the  state;  they  have  believed 
that  in  order  to  become  a  nation  with  the  best  free  gov- 
ernment they  must  have  universities  which  are  founded 
upon  Christian  morality,  where  the  sciences  will  be  taught. 
We  cannot  doubt  but  that  their  free  institutions  have 
been  the  result  of  this  spirit. 

"  As  soon  as  our  government  saw  the  importance  of  the 
university  it  established  one  in  Tokyo,  and  it  has  also 
built  several  academies.  From  these  we  shall  see  some 
intellectual  development  and  external  advancement,  but 
not  moral  development  and  internal  improvement. 

"  Some  are  trying  to  improve  the  morality  of  the  people ; 
but  they  demand  that  the  old  morality  of  China  shall  be 
used  with  the  people,  and  hence  we  cannot  rejoice  at  their 
efforts,  for  the  Chinese  morality  has  not  influence  upon 
the  mind  of  men  generally.  All  Oriental  states  are  almost 
destitute  of  liberty  and  Christian  morality ;  they  cannot, 
therefore,  rapidly  advance  in  civilization.  The  growth  of 
liberty,  the  development  of  science,  the  advancement  of 


Broadening  Flans — Tour  Abroad  89 

politics,  and  the  power  of  morality  have  brought  forth  the 
European  civilization.  These  four  important  effects  have 
come  from  the  study  of  the  advancing  sciences  upon  the 
foundation  of  Christian  morality. 

'^  We  cannot  believe,  then,  that  without  morality  and 
science  civilization  can  come  in  Japan.  To  put  the  foun- 
dation of  our  state  upon  this  foundation  is  just  like  put- 
ting the  foundation  of  a  building  upon  a  rock.  No  sword 
can  conquer  it ;  no  tempest  can  break  it ;  no  waves  can 
overcome  it.  If  it  is  put  upon  the  old  Chinese  morality  it 
will  be  just  like  putting  it  upon  a  sandy  beach  of  the  sea ; 
when  the  rough  waves  beat  against  it  it  falls  into  ruin. 
We  are,  therefore,  hoping  for  a  university  which  is  founded 
upon  pure  morality,  and  which  teaches  modern  advanced 
science.  We  have  been  very  earnest  in  this  matter.  In 
the  eighth  year  of  Meiji  we  established  the  Doshisha 
school  in  Kyoto,  and  its  purpose  was  to  teach  European 
science  and  to  give  also  moral  education.  Its  students 
have  increased  year  by  year.  But  our  aim  has  ever  been 
to  build  a  university. 

'^  In  April  of  the  sixteenth  year  of  Meiji  we  publicly  ex- 
pressed our  purpose  and  received  much  encouragement  j 
at  this  time  we  met  our  friends  in  Kyoto  and  named  it 
the  Meiji  University.  We  have  determined  to  raise  an 
endowment  first  for  a  department  of  history,  philosophy, 
poHtics,  and  economics,  and  gradually  to  found  one  also 
of  law  and  of  medicine.  But  it  is  not  easy  to  establish 
this,  for  we  must,  as  a  first  step,  get  a  large  amount  of 
money  with  which  we  can  erect  some  buildings  and  call 
some  professors.  We,  being  so  few  in  nimiber,  cannot 
furnish  this  money,  but  we  cannot  give  up  our  purpose  to 
establish  this  university  now.  We  must  work  for  new 
Japan.  All  true  patriots  should  do  this.  Please  help  us, 
as  far  as  you  are  able,  to  accomplish  our  purpose  and  do 


90  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

this  work.  Unless  we  receive  your  help  we  cannot  suc- 
ceed in  this  great  purpose." 

In  the  early  part  of  1884  it  became  evident  that  the 
strain  of  the  last  nine  years  had  so  exhausted  Mr.  Neesima 
that  he  must  have  a  complete  change.  He  had  tried  in 
vain  to  rest  in  Japan  5  he  could  not  escape  from  the  many 
calls  which  pressed  upon  him  everywhere ;  he  could  not 
forget  the  great  work  he  had  undertaken  5  it  was  always 
before  his  eyes  and  upon  his  heart.  He  at  last  yielded  to 
the  earnest  solicitations  of  his  friends,  and  accepted  Mr. 
Hardy's  generous  invitation  to  go  to  the  United  States  by 
way  of  Europe,  and  on  the  6th  of  April,  1884,  he  started 
from  Kobe  on  his  long  journey.  He  landed  in  Italy  at 
Naples. 

His  daily  journals,  from  the  time  of  leaving  Japan  until 
he  left  Switzerland,  are  very  full ;  they  are  little  encyclo- 
pedias of  information  on  every  subject ;  it  is  wonderful  to 
see  how  much  information  he  gathered,  and  especially  are 
they  very  full  on  the  educational  side.  He  visited  aU  the 
schools  and  colleges  he  could,  and  minutely  inspected  their 
whole  plan  of  teaching,  studies,  and  buildings,  and  wrote 
out  all  the  details.  He  secured  letters  of  introduction  to 
the  men  who  were  at  the  head  of  the  Cathohc  colleges  in 
Italy,  and  inspected  them  very  caref  uUy  5  also  the  Walden- 
sian  theological  school  in  Florence.  He  spent  several 
weeks  in  the  Waldensian  valley,  and  carefully  studied  the 
history,  the  persecutions,  the  school  system,  and  the  ways 
of  working  of  that  church.  From  there  he  went  by  the  St. 
Gotthard  route  into  Switzerland ;  his  note-books  are  f uU 
of  his  pencil-drawings  to  illustrate  the  architecture  and  the 
processes  of  grape-raising,  cheese-making,  etc. 

On  the  6th  of  August  he  started  with  a  German  traveler 
to  go  up  the  St.  Gotthard  Pass.  It  was  a  gentle  climb  of 
about  two  thousand  feet.    He  says  in  his  note-book ;  "  One 


Broadening  Plans — Toicr  Abroad  91 

and  a  haK  miles  this  side  of  the  pass  I  began  to  breathe 
hard  5  I  could  not  go ;  I  was  left  behind ;  I  stopped  every 
ten  rods ;  finally  I  reached  the  pass ;  I  ate  dinner,  but  after 
that  I  found  myself  worse  and  worse ;  I  could  not  go  any 
farther.  I  stayed  at  the  Hotel  Prosa  until  the  next  day ; 
that  afternoon  I  found  myself  very  miserable.  I  thought 
it  might  possibly  be  the  end  of  my  life  in  this  world. 
While  I  had  a  most  distressed  feeling  in  my  chest  I  wrote 
my  will,  as  follows :  first  paper :  ^  I  am  a  native  of  Japan, 
and  am  a  missionary  to  my  native  land.  On  account  of 
my  ill  health  I  was  obhged  to  leave  my  country  for  health. 
I  came  from  Milan  to  Andermatt  yesterday,  and  took  a 
room  at  the  Hotel  Oberalp.  I  took  a  trip  to  the  St.  Gott- 
hard  Pass  with  a  German  gentleman  this  morning ;  as  I 
found  myself  too  unwell  to  go  on  he  left  me  here  and  went 
on  to  Airolo.  I  found  myself  hard  of  breathing — it  must 
be  some  trouble  in  my  heart.  My  goods  are  left  in  the 
Hotel  Oberalp  with  some  money.  If  I  die  here  please  send 
a  telegram  to  Pastor  Jurino,  51  Via  Torino,  Milan,  and  ask 
him  to  take  charge  of  my  body.  May  the  kind  Heavenly 
Father  receive  my  soul  to  his  bosom.  August  6, 1884.  J. 
H.  Neesima.  Whoever  reads  this  wi'iting,  pray  for  Japan, 
my  dear  native  land.' 

"  Second  paper :  '  I  would  ask  Pastor  Jurino  to  bury  me 
in  Milan  and  send  this  writing  to  Hon.  Alpheus  Hardy, 
4  Joy  Street,  Boston,  Mass.,  U.  S.  A.,  as  he  and  his  wife 
have  been  my  benefactors  these  twenty  years.  May  the 
Lord  give  them  ample  rewards !  Send  a  telegram  to  him 
at  once.  Please  cut  a  little  portion  of  my  hair  and  send 
to  my  dear  wife  in  Kyoto,  Japan,  as  a  token  of  the  insep- 
arable bond  of  union  in  Christ.  My  plan  for  Japan  will 
be  defeated ;  but  thanks  be  to  the  Lord  that  he  has  already 
done  so  much  for  us  !  I  trust  he  will  yet  do  a  wonderful 
work  there.     May  the  Lord  raise  up  many  true  Christians 


i-- 


92  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

and  noble  patriots  for  my  dear  fatherland !  Amen  and 
amen.' 

^'  At  tliis  moment  all  sorts  of  tlionghts  came  up  them- 
selves at  once.  I  reviewed  the  past  as  well  as  the  future. 
My  plan  for  our  school  5  my  plan  for  a  medical  school ;  my 
hope  to  get  something  for  these  plans ;  my  filial  feeling 
toward  my  aged  parents ;  my  tender  sympathy  with  my 
wife  5  disappointments  of  my  intimate  friends  in  Japan ; 
my  most  grateful  feeling  toward  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hardy — all 
these  feelings  and  thoughts  came  up  within  me,  and  I 
struggled  with  them  5  but  I  can  safely  state  here  that  I 
overcame  all  these  feelings,  and  prayed  to  God  to  let  his 
will  be  done  in  me  j  asked  for  his  forgiving  grace  through 
Christ  Jesus." 

He  gradually  rallied,  so  that  the  next  day  he  was  moved 
in  a  carriage  back  to  Andermatt ;  and  when  he  was  able 
he  went  on  to  Lucerne  and  consulted  a  physician,  who  told 
him  that  his  heart  was  affected,  and  that  he  must  avoid  all 
violent  exercise. 

He  writes  from  Lucerne :  "  Since  then  I  feel  more  and 
more  my  life  is  not  for  me.  Whether  I  live  or  die  I  must 
live  or  die  for  Christ.  May  the  Lord  ever  keep  this  sin- 
wounded  soul  under  his  protecting  hand,  and  count  me  as 
a  least  one  in  his  kingdom,  through  the  righteousness  of 
Jesus  Christ.'' 

Mr.  Neesima  traveled  leisurely  down  the  Rhine,  through 
Holland,  and  across  to  England,  and  reached  the  United 
States  in  the  early  autumn. 

He  attended  the  meeting  of  the  Board  at  Columbus, 
Ohio,  a  month  later,  but  he  was  unable  to  speak,  except  a 
few  words.  He  rested  through  the  winter,  passing  some 
time  at  the  health-retreat  at  Clifton  Springs,  N.  Y.  He 
wrote  a  long  letter  from  that  retreat  in  January,  1885, 
urging  upon  us  the  consideration  of  plans  for  a  medical 


Broadening  Plans — Tour  Abroad  93 

school,  and  for  enlarging  the  evangelistic  work  from  Kiu- 
shu  and  Kochi  to  Sendai  and  the  Hokkaido.  He  says  in 
this  letter,  speaking  of  plans  for  the  improvement  of  the 
school :  ^'  Will  you  try  to  get  choice  library  on  all  subjects  ? 
Please  get  up  a  tolerably  good  astronomical  observatory, 
also  good  chemical  laboratory ;  get  a  good  supply  of  phys- 
ical apparatus.  Try  to  get  specimens  of  natural  history, 
of  mineralogy,  geology,  etc. ;  try  to  get  hold  of  students 
and.  hold  them."  At  the  close  he  says  :  "  I  am  improving 
now )  still  I  am  sleepless  and  nervous  too.  But  I  can't  be 
free  from  thoughts  of  Japan.  I  am  a  prisoner  of  Japan." 
He  wrote  from  Boston  in  March,  1885  :  "  Since  February 
3d  I  have  been  obhged  to  lay  aside  aU  my  reading  and 
writing."  This  brief  letter  was  written  with  a  trembling 
hand.  He  says:  "I  am  still  troubled  with  a  burning 
headache,  and  have  been  obliged  to  keep  myself  quiet  so 
far  as  I  can."  "I  came  through  this  winter  without  a 
serious  attack  of  rheumatism,  and  the  only  trouble  I  have 
now  is  a  burning,  heavy  headache,  with  occasional  repeti- 
tions of  pain  in  my  forehead.  I  can't  do  much  yet,  but  I 
am  not  discouraged  j  I  am  cheerful  and  hopeful." 

In  April  and  May  he  made  a  visit  to  Washington,  stop- 
ping in  Delaware  and  other  places ;  but  as  his  health  loa- 
proved  a  httle  his  soul  was  wholly  absorbed  in  thoughts 
and  plans  for  his  beloved  land.  He  tried  to  work  for  the 
best  interests  of  the  Christian  paper  in  Tokyo ;  he  sug- 
gested a  revision  of  the  theological  course  of  study  in  the 
Doshisha,  to  make  it  more  scholarly ;  he  writes  from  Bos- 
ton, March  25,  1885  :  '•  The  Board  are  thinking  to  send  a 
graduate  of  Ann  Arbor  University  to  teach  philosophy, 
etc.,  to  make  the  theological  department  more  attractive 
to  our  ambitious  students.  I  hope  your  mission  wiU 
heartily  respond  to  this  new  movement  on  this  side  of 
the  Pacific. 


94  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

"  I  am  glad  to  learn  that  tlie  work  in  the  Annaka  region 
is  so  hopeful.  They  have  recentty  built  two  more  houses 
of  worship."  "  It  may  be  desirable  to  occupy  a  few  im- 
portant centers  in  Kiushu  and  in  northern  Japan,  but  the 
most  important  work  to  carry  out  Christ's  kingdom  is  to 
raise  men  after  QocVs  own  heart.  If  yon  raise  np  strong  and 
truly  pious  men  to  ivorh  for  Christ,  Japan  will  he  ours  in  his 
name.  Let  us  unite  ourselves  in  this  case,  and  push  it  through. 
I  will  soon  ask  a  lady  in  Louisville,  Ky.,  to  send  me  sixty 
dollars  to  help  our  needy  students." 

He  was  also  working  to  secure  a  way  by  which  Profes- 
sor Shimomura  could  go  to  the  United  States  to  study, 
and  still  further  to  find  some  plan  by  which  other  men 
could  have  the  foreign  training  they  needed  to  fit  them  to 
teach  in  the  Doshisha.  He  says  in  the  same  letter,  May 
26th :  ''  With  regard  to  founding  special  scholarship  chairs 
in  our  school,  it  may  be  hard  to  raise  fund  enough  here 
to  secure  a  few  American  professorships,  so  I  will  work 
to  secure  the  fund  in  Japan  and  raise  up  the  native  pro- 
fessorships. In  order  to  do  that,  a  few  best  students  out 
of  our  graduates  ought  to  be  sent  here  to  pursue  the  spe- 
cial studies  to  fit  themselves  for  this  new  enterprise.  I  am 
strongly  convinced  that  we  can't  keep  up  our  reputation 
in  future  unless  we  provide  a  few  professional  studies  be- 
sides theology,  so  I  am  hoping  to  secure  a  few  scholar- 
ships to  help  our  students  to  attain  the  high  education  in 
:<  this  country.  We  may  meet  many  objections  here  and  at 
-  home,  but  I  feel  we  are  rather  compelled  to  take  this  bold 
step.  If  we  could  get  a  few  scholarships  here  to  educate 
and  fit  our  students  to  be  professors,  we  could  start  a  few 
new  chairs  on  political  science,  philosophy,  history,  etc., 
without  a  great  expense  to  us.  The  government  is  doing 
this  in  the  Tokyo  University ;  why  cannot  we  do  the  same 
in  our  school?  I  hope  our  friends  in  Japan  will  raise 
money  enough  for  us  to  start  this  new  enterprise. 


Broadening  Plans — Tour  Abroad  95 

"  To  sum  up  my  view,  let  me  briefly  state  as  follows :  1. 
Give  our  students  a  thorough  English  course.  2.  Make 
the  theological  course  more  attractive  to  out-  ambitious 
students.  Let  the  foreign  professors  devote  their  time 
and  strength  for  instructing  this  important  class.  3.  Pro- 
vide for  other  professional  studies  to  keep  those  boys  who 
will  not  become  preachers  within  the  sacred  walls  of  our 
school.  4.  If  I  secure  a  few  scholarships  I  should  like  to 
use  them  exclusively  for  the  best  students,  intellectually 
and  spiritually,  among  the  theological  graduates.  This 
provision  will  certainly  make  the  theological  class  honor- 
able and  attractive  in  our  school.  Under  this  fourth  head- 
ing I  should  say  still  further :  I  called  on  President  Porter 
the  other  day,  and  asked  him  of  his  view  on  my  new  plan 
to  secure  a  few  scholarships  here.  He  favors  this  idea 
very  much.  I  have  been  working  quite  hard  to  secure 
some  favor  for  our  students,  very  few  in  number,  in  the 
Johns  Hopkins  University,  and  also  at  Yale  and  Amherst. 
I  hope  they  will  show  some  special  favor  to  our  students 
if  we  send  them  our  best  specimens. 

"  Before  I  close  my  letter  allow  me  to  state  to  you  that 
in  all  these  my  attempts  I  forget  myself ;  I  still  suffer  in 
my  head ;  I  feel  that  I  am  moving  onward  in  our  battle- 
field just  as  you  do,  though  I  am  sent  here  to  rest.  I  can- 
not write  such  a  letter  without  shedding  many  tears.  My 
heart  is  constantly  burning  like  a  volcanic  fire  for  my 
dearly  beloved  Japan.  Pray  for  me  that  I  may  rest  in 
the  Lord." 

Before  he  returned  to  Japan,  Mr.  Neesima  wrote  '•  An 
Appeal  for  Advanced  Christian  Education  in  Japan," 
which  was  circulated  in  the  United  States,  extracts  from 
which  are  here  given : 

"  Old  Japan  is  defeated.  New  Japan  has  won  its  vic- 
tory. The  old  Asiatic  system  is  silently  passing  away, 
and  the  new  European  ideas  so  recently  transplanted  there 


96  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

are  growing  vigorously  and  luxuriantly.  Within  the  past 
twenty  years  Japan  has  undergone  a  vast  change^  and  is 
now  so  advanced  that  it  will  be  impossible  for  her  to  fall 
back  to  her  former  position.  She  has  shaken  off  her  old 
robe.  She  is  ready  to  adopt  something  better.  The  daily 
press,  so  copiously  scattered  throughout  the  empire,  is 
constantly  creating  among  its  readers  some  fresh  desire 
and  appetite  for  the  new  change.  Her  leading  minds  will 
no  longer  bear  with  the  old  form  of  despotic  feudalism, 
neither  be  contented  with  the  worn-out  doctrines  of  Asi- 
atic morals  and  religions.  They  cried  out  for  a  constitu- 
tion a  few  years  ago,  and  have  already  obtained  a  promise 
from  the  emperor  to  have  it  given  them  in  the  year  1890. 
The  pagan  religions  seem  to  their  inquiring  mind  mere 
reUcs  of  the  old  superstition. 

"The  compulsory  education  lately  carried  out  in  the 
common  schools,  amounting  in  number  to  almost  thirty 
thousand,  is  proved  to  be  a  mighty  factor  to  quicken  and 
elevate  the  intelligence  of  the  masses.  The  Imperial  Uni- 
versity at  Tokyo  is  sending  out  men  of  high  culture  by 
the  hundred  every  year,  to  take  some  responsible  posi- 
tions either  in  the  governmental  service  or  private  capaci- 
ties. Another  university  will  soon  be  founded  by  the  gov- 
ernment at  Osaka,  the  second  important  commercial  city 
of  the  empire,  to  accommodate  the  youths  so  anxiously 
craving  the  higher  education.  It  will  be  out  of  the  way 
for  me  to  dwell  here  upon  the  material  progress  Japan 
has  so  recently  made.  But  let  it  suffice  to  state  that  the 
waters  of  her  coasts  are  busily  plowed  by  her  own  steam- 
ers. Public  roads  are  constantly  improved.  Tunnels  are 
being  cut  here  and  there,  and  railways  are  being  laid  to 
connect  important  commercial  points.  Telegraph-wires 
are  stretched  throughout  the  whole  length  and  breadth  of 
the  empire.    Surveying  what  she  has  accomplished  within 


Broadening  Plans — Tour  Abroad  97 

so  sliort  a  period^  we  cannot  help  thinking  that  she  is 
bound  to  adopt  the  form  of  European  civilization,  and 
will  never  cease  until  she  be  crowned  with  success  in  ac- 
complishing her  national  aim. 

'^In  order  to  bring  about  the  recent  change  and  pro- 
gress she  has  painfully  sacrificed  her  precious  blood  as 
well  as  her  vast  treasure.  Indeed,  her  victory  has  been 
dearly  purchased.  It  was  a  quick  work  and  was  well  done. 
It  was  a  sudden  movement,  but  to  our  great  wonder  very 
few  mistakes  have  been  made  in  her  past  course.  She 
has  tried  her  best  as  far  as  her  capacity  would  allow.  The 
most  serious  period  of  our  political  revolution  is  nearly 
passed,  and  society  as  well  as  the  government  will  soon 
precipitate  into  some  new  shape.  But  what  shape  ?  To 
the  writer  of  this  article  our  immediate  future  seems  a 
more  serious  problem  than  the  past.  It  will  be  a  grand 
achievement  if  a  free  constitution  and  higher  education 
be  secured  to  her  people.  But  these  two  factors  may  be 
proved  to  be  the  very  elements  apt  to  bring  out  freedom 
of  opinions,  and  hence  the  terrible  battles  of  free  opinions. 
A  fearful  national  chaos  might  be  her  fate  if  nothing  in- 
tervene to  prevent  it.  If  the  nation  be  allowed  to  take 
her  own  coui'se  as  she  does  now,  hope  for  her  regenera- 
tion might  forever  be  gone.  But  in  the  time  of  need, 
Providence,  which  rules  the  nations  with  infinite  wisdom, 
has  stepped  in  to  save  us  from  this  national  calamity  and 
despair.  It  was  neither  too  soon  nor  too  late  when  the 
missionaries  of  the  cross  from  America  landed  on  our 
shore  to  proclaim  the  soul-saving  Gospel  to  the  people. 
Through  their  earnest  labor  and  constant  prayers  the 
foundation  of  the  Christian  church  was  soon  laid. 

"  We  believe  Christianity  is  intended  to  benefit  man- 
kind at  large.  Why  should  we  not  undertake  to  extend 
our  influence  toward  the  higher  sphere  as  well  as  toward 


98  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

the  lower,  that  we  might  win  all  men  to  Christ?  Why- 
should  we  seriously  object  to  raise  up  Christian  states- 
men, Christian  lawyers.  Christian  editors,  and  Christian 
merchants,  as  well  as  Christian  preachers  and  teachers, 
within  the  walls  of  our  Christian  institutions  ?  It  is  our 
humble  purpose  to  save  Japan  through  Christianity. 

"  There  might  be  some  undue  fear  that  such  a  provision 
of  those  higher  studies  would  naturally  draw  away  :ambi- 
tious  students  from  the  theological  course.  It  may  be, 
but  we  trust  we  shall  receive  a  larger  supply  of  students 
in  the  academical  course,  so  that  some  could  be  spared  for 
other  studies  without  much  loss  to  the  theological  depart- 
ment. On  the  contrary,  we  may  possibly  attract  some 
students  to  it  from  the  other  courses.  Some  evil  may 
arise  in  such  an  undertaking,  but  it  may  be  overbalanced 
by  the  good  accomplished  by  it.  Now  allow  us  to  state  a 
few  reasons  for  this  undertaking : 

"1.  Such  a  provision  will  detain  the  youths  for  further 
studies  in  the  school  after  finishing  the  academical  coui'se. 
It  will  help  them  to  develop  and  strengthen  their  Christian 
character. 

"  2.  Such  a  provision  wiU  accommodate  some  thought- 
ful parents,  who  may  naturally  desu*e  to  send  their  boys  to 
a  school  where  their  moral  character  is  carefully  fostered 
and  will  be  likely  to  be  so  developed  as  to  be  a  safeguard 
against  youthful  vices  and  corruption. 

"  3.  The  youths  who  have  thus  received  a  broad  culture 
will  certainly  have  a  grand  opportunity  to  influence  soci- 
ety for  good.  Words  and  deeds  of  well-educated,  earnest 
Christians  in  different  spheres  of  society  will  help  the 
cause  very  much  either  dii-ectly  or  indirectly.  Sometimes 
indirect  efforts  produce  more  speedy  results  than  direct. 

"  4.  This  provision  will  surely  benefit  and  tone  up  the 


Broadening  Plans — Tour  Abroad  99 

theological  course,  instead  of  causing  any  serious  harm 
to  it. 

"  5.  We  desire  to  lay  down  a  broad  basis  for  Christian 
education  by  encouraging  post-graduate  studies. 

"  The  time  is  just  ripening  for  us  to  take  this  step  so 
as  to  attract  thereto  the  best  and  most  talented  youths  in 
the  country,  and  foster  and  fit  them  for  the  highest  good 
and  noblest  purpose.  We  are  thus  compelled  to  attempt 
this  broad  sweep  to  reach  and  win  thirty-seven  million 
precious  souls  to  Christ.  Seeds  of  truth  must  be  sown 
now.  Undue  delay  will  give  a  grand  chance  to  unbeliev- 
ing hands  to  make  thorough  mischief  and  render  that 
beautiful  island  empire  hopelessly  barren  and  fruitless. 
O  Japan,  thou  the  fairest  of  Asia !  ^  If  I  forget  thee,  let 
my  right  hand  forget  her  cunning,  and  let  my  tongue 
cleave  to  the  roof  of  my  mouth.^ 

"  But  our  friends  are  very  few.  The  people  are  pressed 
hard  on  account  of  the  business  stagnation,  and  a  most 
destructive  flood  has  lately  visited  the  country.  So  we 
cannot  expect  to  receive  from  them  any  large  donation. 
When  we  met  a  number  of  the  eminent  citizens  of  Kyoto 
last  year  for  this  specific  purpose,  we  urged  them  to  give 
us  a  fund  before  the  year  1890,  so  that  when  the  emperor 
gives  us  a  constitution  we  might  found  a  university  to 
commemorate  the  most  extraordinary  period  of  our  polit- 
ical history.  This  appeal  created  among  them  a  great 
enthusiasm.  Some  of  them  gave  us  their  hearty  pledge 
to  do  their  share.  So  we  may  possibly  realize  some  gift 
just  sufficient  to  support  a  few  native  professors.  But  it 
is  beyond  our  expectation  to  receive  a  fund  large  enough 
to  sustain  even  a  few  American  professors.  So  if  a  few 
professorships  should  be  given  by  some  American  friends 
to  found  chairs  of  political  science,  history,  literature, 


100  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

philosopliy,  etc.,  it  will  help  the  cause  grandly.  Some 
people  in  this  country  may  hardly  realize  how  danger- 
ously our  shores  are  visited  and  washed  by  the  strong  tide 
of  modern  Eiu'opean  unbelief.  But  to  a  native  of  the 
country  who  has  been  seriously  watching  and  observing 
the  course  recently  taken  by  the  people,  the  present  time 
seems  grave.  The  future  battle  in  Japan  may  not  be  with 
any  foreign  invaders;  but  it  will  certainly  be  between 
Christianity  and  unbehef. 

"  It  is  the  time  for  us  to  make  an  extraordinary  effort 
to  push  evangelical  work  as  well  as  Christian  education  in 
Japan,  in  order  to  save  her  from  corruption  and  unbelief. 
The  American  Board  has  done  for  us  in  the  educational 
line  as  much  as  it  can  wisely  do.  Yet  there  remains  much 
to  be  done  in  order  to  carry  out  our  work  more  efficiently. 
The  Lord's  army  must  not  be  hampered  while  the  battle 
is  fairly  commencing.  Large  means  must  be  provided 
in  order  to  furnish  to  the  field  strong  men  from  time  to 
time. 

^^Now  who  will  step  forth  in  this  grand  republic  of 
America  to  render  us  timely  help  to  save  us  from  this  im- 
pending national  calamity  ?  Here  may  be  some  friends 
seriously  considering  how  their  property  might  be  best 
disposed  of  for  benefiting  poor  humanity.  With  such  we 
would  earnestly  plead  and  loudly  cry,  '•  Remember  us ! ' 
Would  that  God  might  touch  the  hearts  of  some  individ- 
uals to  give  us  a  portion  of  their  blessings,  and  establish 
chairs  for  advanced  Christian  education  there  as  a  per- 
petual monument  of  peace  between  the  United  States  of 
America  and  Japan,  through  which  the  millions  of  our 
people  and  their  posterity  might  be  blessed !  " 

In  the  autumn  of  1885  Mr.  Neesima  returned  to  Japan, 
somewhat  improved  in  health,  but  still  suffering  from 
weakness  and  headache.     He  at  once  began  to  work 


Broadening  Plans — Tour  Abroad  101 

quietly  here  for  the  establishment  of  the  university.  He 
made  many  earnest  friends  for  the  enterprise,  and  many 
sums  of  money  were  promised  toward  its  endowment. 
This  quiet  work,  and  the  issue  and  cii'culation  of  small 
circulars  in  regard  to  the  university,  continued  during 
two  or  thi-ee  years,  but  it  was  not  until  1888  that  a  public 
and  determined  effort  was  made  for  the  endowment  of  the 
university.  About  six  hundi^ed  and  fifty  of  the  of&cials, 
scholars,  and  leading  business  men  of  Kyoto  assembled  in 
one  of  the  large  temples  in  Kyoto,  and  were  addressed  by 
Mr.  Neesima  and  others ;  and  much  interest  was  aroused 
in  behalf  of  the  Doshisha  University. 

In  the  summer  of  that  year  Mr.  Neesima  weut  to  Tokyo 
and  worked  in  the  interest  of  the  university.  But  so 
great  was  his  weakness  that  one  evening,  as  he  met  a  few 
friends  to  present  his  plan  of  the  university,  he  fainted 
quite  away.  In  July  of  that  year,  however.  Count  Inouye, 
late  Minister  of  Foreign  Affairs,  gave  a  dinner  to  men  of 
rank  and  wealth,  inviting  Mr.  Neesima  to  be  present ;  and 
after  dinner  he  introduced  the  subject  and  asked  Mr.  Nee- 
sima to  speak  of  the  university,  and  the  result  was  that 
Count  Inouye  subscribed  one  thousand  yen.  Count  Oku- 
ma,  one  thousand  yen.  Viscount  Aoki,  then  Vice-minister 
of  State,  five  hundred  yen,  a  prominent  banker  six  thou- 
sand yen,  and  others  enough  to  bring  the  amount  up  to 
thii'ty-one  thousand  yen.  This  gave  great  enthusiasm  to 
the  movement. 

When  the  tenth  anniversary  of  the  founding  of  the 
school  was  celebrated,  in  1885,  the  governor  of  the  Kyoto- 
Fu,  the  governor  of  the  Shiga  Ken,  and  many  other  offi- 
cials were  present,  and  were  greatly  interested.  Count 
Inouye  had  also  visited  the  school  and  addressed  the 
teachers  and  scholars,  assembled  in  the  chapel.  It  was 
not  from  any  blind  impulse  that  this  money  was  given ; 


102  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

the  school  had  proved  its  right  to  be,  and  that  it  was  a 
needed  power  in  Japan. 

In  the  last  English  letter  which  Mr.  Neesima  wrote, 
only  a  few  days  before  his  death,  from  which  a  long 
quotation  has  already  been  made,  he  says :  "  Since  1884  I 
began  to  hope  for  founding  a  Christian  university  j  the 
matter  seemed  to  myself  and  also  to  my  friends  here  that 
I  was  hoping  for  something  altogether  beyond  hope ;  how- 
ever, 1  had  a  strong  conviction  that  God  would  help  us  to 
found  it  in  his  own  name's  sake.  In  order  to  engage  in 
such  an  undertaking  one  shall  need  a  strong  physique; 
alas !  my  health  has  been  poor  for  some  years.  When  I 
made  a  speech  before  a  select  audience  of  six  hundred  and 
fifty  at  Kyoto,  in  a  large  Buddhist  temple,  in  behalf  of 
the  new  university,  I  had  hardly  strength  enough  to  do 
it.  The  chief  trouble  was  in  my  heart — a  heart-disease.  I 
was  obliged  to  confine  myself  for  some  time.  As  soon  as 
I  became  comfortable  enough  I  attempted  to  move  around 
again.  In  a  single  evening  thirty-one  thousand  yen  were 
subscribed,  a  most  memorable  evening  to  us ;  it  took  place 
in  the  latter  part  of  July,  1888.  Since  then  subscriptions 
came  from  the  different  parts  of  the  country.  At  present 
we  have  raised  over  sixty  thousand  yen.  We  are  now 
attempting  to  raise  it  to  one  hundred  thousand  yen  before 
this  coming  summer.  Since  October  I  have  been  away 
from  home,  moving  round  here  and  there,  though  I  make 
Tokyo  the  headquarters  of  my  present  movement. 

'^  In  the  latter  part  of  November  I  became  seriously  iU ; 
I  have  not  yet  fully  recovered  my  strength,  and  am  now 
obliged  to  rest  at  a  quiet  country  town  to  regain  certain 
strength  to  attempt  further  beggings.  It  is  a  faith  work. 
I  have  a  full  hope  that  my  vague  day-dream  for  a  Chris- 
tian university  will  sooner  or  later  be  realized,  and  that 
in  some  future  we  shall  find  a  grand  occasion  to  give 


Broadening  Plans — Tour  Abroad  103 

thanks  to  Him  who  has  led  us  and  blessed  us  beyond  our 
expectation.  Please  remember  me  to  your  Sabbath-school 
friends,  and  ask  them  to  pray  for  our  country." 

In  this  connection  we  should  speak  of  an  appeal  for  the 
university  which  Mr.  Neesima  prepared  in  the  autumn  of 
1888,  and  which  was  published  simultaneously^  on  the  10th 
of  November  of  that  year,  in  twenty  of  the  leading  papers 
of  Japan. 

Early  in  August,  1888,  after  the  money  mentioned 
above  had  been  secured  for  the  university,  Mr.  Neesima 
became  so  weak  that  some  physicians  in  Tokyo  told  him 
he  had  only  a  short  time  to  live  j  one  other  physician  told 
him  that  if  he  took  complete  rest  for  two  years  he  might 
possibly  Live  on  several  years.  He  went  to  Ikao — a  health- 
resort  in  Joshu,  on  a  mountain-side — rented  a  small  cot- 
tage, and  spent  nearly  two  months  there.  He  was  so 
weak  when  he  went  up  there  that  he  was  unable  to  ride 
in  a  jinrikisha,  and  was  carried  up  in  a  kago  or  bamboo 
chair.  When  the  writer  visited  him  in  that  place  in  Sep- 
tember, he  had  just  become  able  to  walk  out  a  few  rods. 
His  stay  there  helped  him  to  a  little  strength,  and  in  Octo- 
ber he  returned  home,  but  soon  went  to  Kobe,  where  he 
could  have  more  complete  rest.  He  spent  most  of  the 
winter  in  Kobe,  in  great  weakness. 

Early  in  the  year  1887  a  plan  of  union  between  the 
Congi-egational  and  the  Presbyterian  churches  in  Japan 
was  proposed.  Mr.  Neesima  was  consulted  but  very  little 
in  regard  to  this  plan  beforehand,  probably  on  account  of 
his  ill  health ;  but  when  a  copy  of  the  proposed  basis  of 
union  came  into  his  hands  he  was  greatly  troubled.  When 
he  came  to  talk  with  me  about  it  he  was  more  excited 
than  I  had  ever  seen  him  before,  and  more  troubled  than 
I  had  seen  him  for  many  years. 

Mr.  Neesima  had  become  greatly  impressed  during  his 


104:  Joseph  Sardy  Neesima 

residence  in  America  with  the  value  of  freedom ;  he  felt 
that  Japan  needed  freedom,  and  that  it  could  come  most 
safely  only  gradually  and  among  those  institutions  which, 
like  the  Christian  churches,  were  under  the  influence  of 
men  of  strong  moral  convictions.  He  wanted  to  retain 
the  leavening  influence  of  the  Congregational  system. 
Differing  with  the  experienced  pastors,  his  former  pupils, 
who  had  assisted  in  preparing  the  basis  of  union,  he  felt 
that  the  plan  proposed  by  the  committee  sacrificed  that 
principle  of  freedom  too  much,  and  hence  he  said  that 
he  must  oppose  it ;  he  feared  the  effect  of  his  opposition 
upon  the  Doshisha,  but  he  said  he  could  not  yield  this 
principle,  even  at  the  risk  of  severing  his  connection  with 
the  Doshisha  and  with  the  Kumi-ai  churches.  He  even 
suggested  that  if  the  union  were  perfected  on  the  basis  first 
proposed,  he  might  leave  this  part  of  the  country  and  go 
to  the  Hokkaido,  and  work  alone.  I  encouraged  him  to 
patiently  wait  and  see  if  the  proposed  basis  could  not  be 
modified. 

In  the  following  months,  although  some  of  his  best 
friends  told  him  he  would  ruin  his  hopes  for  a  university 
by  his  course,  he  maintained  his  position,  that  unless  the 
proposed  basis  was  materially  modified  he  could  not  favor 
it.  This  was  a  very  great  strain  upon  him  during  many 
months — a  strain  which,  in  his  weakness,  he  could  ill 
afford  to  bear. 

With  the  spring  of  1889  Mr.  Neesima  seemed  to  regain 
his  strength  in  some  measure ;  he  spent  some  time  during 
the  summer  at  a  seaside  resort,  quietly  resting;  and  he 
was  there  when  the  news  came  to  him  that  his  alma  mater, 
Amherst  College,  had  conferred  upon  him  the  degree  of 
LL.D.  He  wrote  at  this  time  a  very  characteristic  letter 
to  a  member  of  our  mission.  He  said  that  he  was  greatly 
troubled  because  they  had  conferred  upon  him  this  degree. 


Broadening  Plans — Tour  Abroad  105 

He  had  always  refused  any  position  whicli  had  been  offered 
him  in  his  own  country,  and  he  felt  he  was  not  worthy  of 
this  title,  and  he  ends  by  asking,  ^'  What  shall  I  do  with 
it?" 

The  Doshisha  had  been  growing  all  these  years;  the 
gii'ls'  school  had  increased  its  buildings  and  more  than 
doubled  its  numbers ;  the  training-school  for  nurses  had 
been  established;  a  preparatory  department  had  been 
added  to  the  school  for  young  men ;  the  first  two  dormi- 
tories had  increased  to  thirteen ;  a  large  recitation  hall,  a 
chapel  to  seat  six  hundred,  and  a  large  library  building 
had  been  erected,  the  three  latter  all  of  brick.  A  gentle- 
man in  New  England,  Mr.  J.  Harris,  had  gradually  be- 
come interested  in  the  work  of  the  Doshisha,  and  had 
wi'itten  that  he  was  glad  to  take  into  consideration  a  plan 
to  do  something  for  the  school ;  and  this  resulted  fii'st  in 
his  giving  fifteen  thousand  dollars  for  a  science  hall,  and 
during  1889  his  interest  developed  into  his  making  his 
gift  one  hundred  thousand  dollars  to  endow  the  science 
department.  Mr.  Neesima  saw  the  foundations  of  this 
new  hall  laid  before  he  went  to  Tokyo  in  October,  1889. 
The  students  had  also  increased,  so  that  during  the  school 
year  of  1888-89  there  were  in  all  departments  over  nine 
hundred  young  men  and  women. 


VI 
LAST    DAYS,   DEATH,  AND    BURIAL 


107 


"  For  I  am  already  being  offered,  and  the  time  of  my  departure  is 
come.  Ihave  fotight  tlie  good  fight,  I  have  finished  the  course,  I  have 
kept  the  faith :  henceforth  there  is  laid  up  for  me  the  croivn  of  righteous- 
ness, tvhich  the  Lord,  the  righteous  judge,  shall  give  to  me  at  that  day : 
and  not  only  to  me,  but  also  to  all  them  that  have  loved  his  appearing." 
—2  Tim.  iv.  C-8. 

"So  live  that  ivhen  thy  summons  comes  to  join 
Tlie  innumerable  caravan  that  moves 
To  that  mysterious  realm,  where  each  shall  take 
His  chamber  in  the  siletit  halls  of  death, 
TJiou  go  not  like  the  quarry  slave  at  night, 
Scourged  to  his  dungeon,  but,  sustained  and  soothed 
By  an  unfaltering  trust,  approach  thy  grave 
Like  one  ivho  wraps  the  drapery  of  his  couch 
About  him,  and  lies  down  to  pleasant  dreams." 

Bryant. 

*' Having  won  by  toil  and  pain. 

Who  shall  regret  the  pangs  of  life? 
Who  woidd  regret  the  pas  fs  long  night, 
With  all  its  fear  and  chill  and  blight, 
Ifnoiv  the  East,  through  twilight  gray, 
Were  streaked  with  everlasting  day  f  " 

"  nie  things  o'er  ivhich  ive  grieved,  with  lashes  wet. 
Will  flash  before  us  out  of  lifers  dark  night, 
As  stars  shine  most  in  deeper  tints  of  blue.'* 

**  So  let  the  eyes  that  fail  on  earth 
On  thy  eternal  hills  look  forth. 
And  in  thy  beckoning  angels  knoio 
Tlie  dear  ones  whom  ive  loved  below." 

Whittier. 

"He  does  well  who  does  his  best; 
Is  he  weary  ?    Let  him  7'est ! 
Brothers  !  I  have  done  my  best, 
I  am  weary — let  me  rest." 

"Say  7iot  good-night. 
But  in  some  brighter  clime , 
Bid  me  good-morning." 

108 


CHAPTER  VI 

LAST  DAYS,  DEATH,  AND  BURIAL 

The  autumn  of  1889  found  Dr.  Neesima  far  from  well, 
but  yet  able  to  be  doing  some  work.  He  expressed  a 
great  desire  to  go  to  Tokyo  and  work  for  the  university. 
His  physician  told  him  tha,t  he  felt  it  would  be  better  for 
his  health  not  to  go  at  aU,  but  if  he  was  not  absent  more 
than  three  weeks  it  might  not  do  him  any  harm.  He 
went  to  Tokyo  in  October,  and  saw  a  great  many  friends 
in  that  vicinity,  talking  of  the  university  endowment,  and 
receiving  many  promises  of  aid.  He  also  visited  Joshu, 
and  while  there  he  caught  a  severe  cold,  which  confined 
him  to  his  bed  for  a  week,  and  left  him  so  weak  that 
he  finally  determined  to  go  to  Oiso,  a  quiet  place  on  the 
sea-shore  near  Yokohama,  and  rest.  He  went  there  in 
December,  and  took  a  room  in  a  common  Japanese  hotel. 
He  was  accompanied  only  by  his  clerk.  Mrs.  Neesima 
had  intended  to  go  and  spend  some  time  with  him  there, 
but  his  mother  was  taken  ill  in  Kyoto,  and  as  she  was 
eighty-four  years  of  age  it  seemed  unwise  to  leave  her. 

The  new  year  came,  and  Dr.  Neesima  sent  out  many 
New  Year's  letters  to  his  friends,  and  especially  to  the 
leading  pastors  and  workers ;  in  one  of  these  he  said  that 
the  greatest  need  of  the  church  in  Japan  for  the  new  year 
was  a  new  baptism,  so  that  we  might  be  prepared  to  take 
Japan  for  Christ.  He  sent  an  acting  pastor  in  Niigata  a 
letter  nearly  three  yards  long,  urging  upon  him  the  im- 

109 


110  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

portance  of  planting  workers  in  the  important  centers  of 
that  province ;  he  sent  another  long  letter  to  a  man  in  the 
extreme  west  end  of  the  empire,  ui'ging  the  planting  of 
the  Gospel  in  that  region. 

Professors  Kanamori  and  Shimomnra  spent  the  night 
of  January  10th  with  him,  and  they  talked  over  various 
plans  for  the  university,  the  school  of  science,  etc.,  and 
Mr.  Neesima  seemed  as  well  as  usual. 

January  11th  he  began  to  decline,  and  he  grew  worse 
from  day  to  day,  so  that  on  the  17th  one  of  the  best 
Japanese  physicians  in  Tokyo  was  summoned  to  see  him. 
He  pronounced  his  disease  peritonitis,  and  said  that  he 
was  in  a  very  dangerous  condition.  His  clerk,  who  was 
with  him,  wanted  to  telegraph  immediately  for  Mrs.  Nee- 
sima, but  Dr.  Neesima  said,  "  No,  wait  a  little.'^  On  the 
morning  of  the  19th  Mrs.  Neesima  was  sent  for  by  tele- 
graph, and  she  arrived  on  the  evening  of  the  20th.  Mr. 
Kosaki,  Mr.  Tokudomi,  and  other  friends  had  ah-eady 
reached  his  side  from  Tokyo. 

The  first  word  which  came  to  Doshisha  was  given  to 
the  school  on  Tuesday  morning,  January  20th,  and  Mr. 
Kanamori,  the  acting  principal  of  the  school,  started  that 
day  for  Oiso.  The  word  given  to  the  school  was  "  Kito- 
ku" — "Very  dangerously  ill."  Little  circles  of  men  were 
praying  for  the  life  of  him  they  loved  all  that  day  in  the 
school,  and  in  the  evening  a  general  prayer-meeting  was 
held  in  the  chapel  to  pray  for  him ;  the  telegrams  came, 
in  the  same  word — "  Kitoku."  That  prayer-meeting  was 
the  most  touching  meeting  I  ever  attended.  Such  tearful 
pleading  with  God  I  never  heard  before;  some  of  the 
prayers  were  almost  demands,  but  most  of  them  contained 
the  ''  If  it  be  thy  will." 

The  next  day  no  better  news  came,  and  the  praying 
went  on,  and  others  of  the  teachers  and  students  started 


< 

Q 


Last  Dmjs,  Death,  and  Burial  111 

for  Oisoj  Tliursday  morning  came  the  telegram^  "No 
hope,"  then  a  little  later,  "  A  little  hope  now  j "  and  at  a 
quarter  to  5  p.m.,  just  as  the  teachers  were  assembling 
for  their  faculty  meeting,  the  word  was  passed  around  of 
his  death.  No  business  was  done  but  to  appoint  a  com- 
mittee to  arrange  in  regard  to  the  funeral,  and  recitations 
were  suspended  until  after  the  funeral. 

Dr.  Berry  reached  his  side  three  hours  before  the  end 
came.  He  was  conscious  to  the  last,  and  was  able  to  talk 
some  up  to  within  a  few  hours  of  his  death.  While  he 
was  yet  able  to  converse  pretty  freely  he  had  dictated  his 
last  words  to  his  friends  in  regard  to  the  school  and  to  the 
missionary  society.  As  he  came  to  the  last  words  about 
mission  work,  he  had  a  map  of  five  provinces  spread  out 
before  him.  He  called  for  colors  with  which  to  mark,  and 
they  brought  a  saucer  with  colors  on  it  to  his  bedside. 
With  these  he  marked  out  on  the  map  the  strategic  points 
which  should  be  soonest  occupied.  As  he  did  this  he  be- 
came so  excited  and  animated  over  it  that  his  friends  had 
to  check  him.  He  asked  that  his  wife  and  all  his  friends 
might  come  in,  and  he  bade  each  one  an  affectionate  fare- 
well. From  that  time  on  he  spoke  very  few  words  5  every- 
thing was  done  and  said  that  he  wished  to  say  j  his  soul 
was  at  rest. 

A  mattress  and  bedding  had  been  secured  for  him  a  day 
or  two  before  his  death,  but  he  said  that  he  came  into  the 
world  in  confusion,  and  he  was  not  worthy  to  die  so  com- 
fortably. The  last  passage  of  Scripture  which  he  asked 
to  have  read  to  him  a  few  hours  before  his  death  was  the 
third  chapter  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Ephesians.  This  was 
read  5  friends  prayed  with  and  for  him,  and  he  gradually 
sank  J  and  at  about  twenty  minutes  past  two  o'clock, 
Thursday  afternoon,  January  23,  1890,  with  the  words, 
"  Peace,  joy,  heaven,"  on  his  lips,  he  entered  into  rest. 


112  Joseph  Haray  Neesima 

Less  than  a  month  before,  in  a  mountain  village  in 
one  of  the  provinces,  a  band  of  children  were  going  about 
the  streets,  their  cheeks  rosy  with  the  cold.  To  a  traveler 
who  asked  them  what  they  were  doing  they  answered, 
with  sweet  smiles,  "  We  are  paying  Christmas  visits  to  our 
friends  and  relatives,  gathering  presents ;  and  when  Mr. 
Neesima  comes  we  shall  give  them  to  him  for  the  uni- 
versity." Dearly  beloved  children !  he  for  whom  you  so 
eagerly  waited  wiU  come  no  more. 

The  following  is  a  free  translation  of  a  poem  Dr. 
Neesima  wrote  as  he  entered  upon  the  new  year — words 
almost  prophetic  of  the  end  which  was  so  near : 

"  Seeing  the  old  year  go, 
Do  not  lament  over  the  sick  body  ; 
For  the  cock's  crow  is  the  harbinger 
Of  happy  times  at  handc 

"Although  inferior  in  ability, 
Poor  in  plans  for  the  good  of  my  generation, 
Yet,  still  cherishing  the  greatest  hope, 
I  welcome  the  spring.'' 

Among  his  last  words  to  Mrs.  Neesima  he  said :  "  Do 
not  erect  a  monument  after  my  death.  It  is  sufficient  to 
have  a  wooden  post  stating  on  it,  '■  The  grave  of  Joseph 
Neesima.'"  In  accordance  with  this  request,  only  an 
unhewn  stone  tablet  marks  his  grave,  on  which  are  the 
words,  '^  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima." 

Among  the  farewell  words  penned  at  his  side  just  be- 
fore he  died  are  the  following.  To  Mrs.  Hardy :  "  I  am 
going  away  5  a  thousand  thanks  for  youi*  love  and  kind- 
ness to  me  during  the  many  years  of  the  past,  and  also 
for  the  fine  presents  you  sent  me  lately.  I  cannot  write 
myself ;  I  leave  this  world  with  a  heart  fuU  of  gratitude 
for  aU  you  have  done  for  my  happiness."     To  Dr.  Clark : 


Last  DaySj  Death,  and  Burial  113 

^'  I  want  to  thank  you  most  sincerely  for  your  confidence 
in  me  and  in  all  I  have  undertaken.  I  have  been  able  to 
do  so  little,  owing  to  the  delicate  condition  of  my  health." 
The  following  are  free  translations  of  others  of  his 
farewell  words.  In  regard  to  the  Doshisha :  "  The  future 
object  of  the  Doshisha  is  for  the  advancement  of  Chris- 
tianity, literatui'e,  and  political  science,  and  for  the 
furtherance  of  all  education.  These  are  all  to  be  pur- 
sued together  as  helping  each  other.  The  object  of  the 
education  of  the  Doshisha  is  not  theology,  literature,  or 
political  science  in  themselves  alone,  but  that  through 
this  education  men  of  gi*eat  and  living  power  who  love 
true  freedom  may  be  trained  up — men  who  shall  live  for 
their  country."  "The  trustees  should  deal  wisely  and 
kindly  with  the  students.  Strong-minded  and  bold  stu- 
dents should  not  be  hardly  dealt  with,  but  dealt  with 
according  to  their  nature,  so  as  to  develop  them  into 
strong,  useful  men.  There  is  danger  that  as  the  school 
grows  larger  it  will  become  more  and  more  mechanical, 
hence  this  should  be  carefully  guarded  against."  "  The 
utmost  care  should  be  taken  that  the  foreign  and  Japan- 
ese teachers  may  be  united  together  in  love,  and  work 
together  without  friction.  I  have  many  times  stood  be- 
tween the  two,  and  have  had  trouble.  In  future  I  ask  the 
trustees  to  do  the  same  as  I  have  done."  "  I  have  not 
desired  to  make  a  single  enemy,  but  if  there  are  any  who 
feel  inimical  toward  me  I  ask  such  to  forgive  me,  for  I 
have  not  the  least  ill  feeling  in  my  heart  toward  any  one." 
"  I  find  no  fault  with  Heaven,  and  bear  no  malice  toward 
my  feUow-men."  "The  work  which  has  been  accom- 
plished is  not  mine  but  yours ;  for  I  have  been  enabled  to 
do  it  only  through  your  earnest  cooperation,  so  that  I  do 
not  regard  it  as  my  work  at  all ;  and  I  can  only  most  sin- 
cerely thank  aU  those  who  have  so  zealously  worked  with 


114  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

me."  "My  feelings  in  regard  to  the  Doshisha  are  ever 
like  this  poem :  '  In  time  of  cherry  blossoms  in  Mount 
Yoshino,  morning  by  morning,  my  great  anxiety  is  lest  a 
cloud  come  and  destroy  the  view.' " 

By  a  curious  coincidence  Dr.  Neesima  was  born  on  the 
14th  day  of  the  14th  year  of  Tempo,  and  he  died  on  the 
23d  day  of  the  23d  year  of  Meiji.  The  body  reached  the 
Kyoto  station,  by  rail  from  Oiso,  at  half -past  eleven  o'clock 
Friday  evening,  and  the  whole  school  was  at  the  station 
to  meet  it.  The  school  was  formed  in  line  of  march,  the 
preparatory  students  in  front  and  the  classes  in  order, 
ending  with  the  theological  classes  in  the  rear.  The 
preparatory  students  began  carrying  the  bier,  as  many  as 
could  take  hold  of  it,  and  they  changed  at  each  corner,  so 
that  when  we  had  reached  the  house  all  had  had  a  part 
in  bearing  the  loved  body.  It  was  a  scene  never  to  be 
forgotten;  a  light  snow  was  falling;  snow  covered  the 
ground,  melting  into  slush ;  but  there  were  very  few  of 
the  nearly  seven  hundred  students  who  were  not  in  line 
that  night,  and  when  we  reached  the  gate  of  Dr.  Neesima's 
house,  two  and  a  half  miles  distant  from  the  station,  be- 
fore we  entered  one  of  the  teachers  made  a  very  touching 
prayer,  one  of  the  petitions  of  which  was  that  in  aU  the 
funeral  exercises  we  might  do  as  our  departed  brother 
would  desire. 

On  the  Sabbath  the  casket  was  open  in  the  house,  and 
all  the  students  and  teachers  of  the  Doshisha  schools,  and 
hundreds  of  others,  viewed  the  face  they  loved.  A  me- 
morial service  in  Japanese,  three  hours  long,  was  held  in 
the  chapel  in  the  forenoon,  and  one  two  hours  long,  in 
English,  in  the  afternoon.  The  funeral  was  on  Monday, 
the  27th.  A  large  tent  was  extemporized  by  covering 
poles  with  tent-flies,  in  front  of  the  college  chapel ;  and  all 
the  seats  from  the  chapels  and  recitation-rooms  of  the 


Last  Days,  Death,  and  Burial  115 

school  were  placed  in  it,  so  that  three  thousand  people 
crowded  into  the  tent,  and  about  one  thousand  more  stood 
outside.  About  fifty  huge  bouquets  of  flowers,  arranged 
mth  branches  of  evergreen  nearly  five  feet  high,  stood  in 
line  from  the  gate  to  the  entrance  of  the  chapel.  The 
casket  was  covered  with  flowers  in  beautiful  designs,  and 
a  large  table  in  front  was  also  covered  with  wreaths, 
anchors,  etc.  The  service  was  simple :  hymns ;  reading 
the  third  chapter  of  Ephesians,  the  last  passage  Dr.  Nee- 
sima  had  read  to  him ;  two  tender  prayers ;  reading  a  brief 
history  of  his  life ;  and  Mr.  Kosaki  preached  a  short  and 
very  appropriate  sermon  from  John  xii.  24. 

The  funeral  was  attended  by  all  the  members  of  the 
schools ;  by  the  mercantile  school,  which  marched  up  in  a 
body;  by  about  seventy  graduates  of  the  Doshisha,  who 
had  come  from  all  parts  of  the  empire ;  by  hundreds  of 
Christians  from  the  city  and  hundreds  from  outside  the 
city ;  as  well  as  by  many  hundreds  of  others,  including  the 
governor  and  many  officials  of  the  Kj^oto-Fu,  the  gov- 
ernor of  the  Shiga  Ken,  a  delegation  of  Buddhist  priests 
from  Osaka,  and  by  many  members  of  his  own  and  of 
other  missions. 

At  half-past  two  o'clock,  in  a  pouring  rain,  the  proces- 
sion formed,  the  students  again  acting  as  bearers ;  they 
had  insisted  from  the  first  that  no  one  outside  of  the  school 
should  touch  anything ;  they  assisted  in  digging  the  grave ; 
they  now  bore  the  lov^ed  remains  to  their  last  resting-place, 
and  carried  all  the  fifty  or  more  large  bouquets,  the  ban- 
ners, etc.  The  procession  reached  nearly  from  Imadegawa 
to  San  Jo  Dori — a  mile  and  a  half ;  it  went  down  Tera- 
machi  to  San  Jo,  east  from  San  Jo  to  the  side  of  the  moun- 
tain, and  through  the  beautiful  Buddhist  temple  grove 
where  the  body  of  Dr.  Neesima's  father  rests  (and  where 
burial  was  refused  for  Dr.  Neesima's  body  because  he  was 


116  Josepli  Hardy  Keesima 

the  "  very  liead-eenter  of  Christianity  in  Japan/'  as  they 
said),  and  then  wound  np  the  mountain  to  a  most  beautiful 
spot  overlooking  the  city  and  the  mountains  and  valleys 
"beyond.  Many  banners  were  borne  in  the  procession,  in- 
cluding one  from  Osaka,  inscribed,  "  From  the  Buddhists 
of  Osaka  f  one,  also,  from  Tokyo,  on  which  was  inscribed 
one  of  the  last  utterances  of  Dr.  Neesima :  "  Free  educa- 
tion, self-governing  churches;  these  keeping  equal  step 
will  bring  this  nation  to  honor."  Many  from  the  school 
also ;  among  the  inscriptions  in  English  were :  ^^  Remember 
me,"  "  There  is  a  happy  land,"  "  Yet  I  live,"  ''  The  truth 
shall  make  you  free,"  etc.  At  the  grave  two  hymns  were 
sung,  a  prayer  was  offered,  and  the  benediction  closed  the 
exercises. 

The  earnest,  tried  soul  is  at  rest.  He  has  heard  the 
welcome  "  Well  done,  thou  good  and  faithful  servant :  en- 
ter thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord."  He  is  in  the  midst  of 
that  joy,  while  we  strive  to  finish  the  work  which  our  loved 
brother  began,  the  foundations  of  which  he  laid  so  well. 

The  great  company  of  mourning  friends  who  assembled 
from  all  parts  of  the  empire  at  his  funeral,  and  the  hun- 
dreds of  sympathetic  telegrams  which  came  from  leading 
men,  show  how  wide  was  the  influence  of  this  great  com- 
moner. Viscount  Aoki,  Minister  of  Foreign  Affairs,  sent 
a  letter,  saying,  "I  have  lost  a  great  and  good  friend." 
Count  Inouye  telegraphed  to  those  at  his  sick-bed,  "  You 
must  keep  him  aHve."  He  stiU  lives.  Though  dead,  he 
still  speaks  to  this  whole  nation. 


VII 
TRIBUTES  AND   LESSONS 


ir 


"Blessed  are  tlie  dead  icMch  die  in  the  Lord  from  henceforth:  yea, 
saith  the  Spirit,  that  they  may  rest  from  their  labors;  for  their  works 
follow  with  them."—R^Y.  xiv.  13. 

"Except  a  grain  of  ivheat  fall  into  the  earth  and  die,  it  ahideth  hy 
itself  alone;  but  if  it  die,  it  beareth  much  fruit." — John  xii.  24. 

"  Humility  is  the  base  of  every  virtue : 
God  keeps  all  his  pity  for  the  proud." 
*  Bailey. 

,  i  "  Sath  any  wronged  thee  ?  be  bravely  revenged : 

Slight  it,  and  the  work  is  begun;  forgive  it,  and  His  finished." 

"  Good  must  ever  live,  and  walk  up  and  down  the  earth,  like  a  living 
spirit,  guided  by  the  living  God,  to  convey  blessings  to  the  children  of 
men.  It  lives  in  humanity,  in  some  form  or  other,  like  the  subtle  sub- 
stance of  material  things,  which  though  ever  changing  never  perishes, 
but  adds  to  the  stability,  the  beauty,  and  the  grandeur  of  the  universe. 
TJie  influence  of  the  holy  character  also  passes  beyond  the  stars,  giving 
joy  to  our  angel  brothers  ;  and  to  our  Elder  Brother,  Jesus  Christ,  who 
in  seeing  his  oion  love  to  his  and  our  God,  to  his  neighbor  and  ours, 
reflected  in  his  people,  beholds  the  grand  residt  of  the  travail  of  his  soul, 
and  is  satisfied." — Macleod. 

"Some  soul  shall  reap  what  we  have  sown  in  tears." 

Laura  B.  Boyce. 

;     "  Jliey  never  quite  leave  us — the  friends  who  have  passed 

\  Through  the  shadows  of  death  to  the  sunlight  above  ; 

A  thousand  sweet  memories  are  holding  them  fast 

To  the  places  they  blessed  with  their  presence  and  love." 

M.  E.  Sangster. 

:        "Lives  of  great  men  all  remind  us 
We  can  make  our  lives  sublime, 
And,  departing,  leave  behind  us 
Footprints  on  the  sands  of  time — 

"Footprints  that  perhaps  another, 
Sailing  o^er  life's  solemn  main, 
A  forlorn  and  shipwrecked  brother, 
Seeing  shall  take  heart  again." 

Longfellow. 


118 


CHAPTER  VII 

TRIBUTES  AND  LESSONS 

The  most  difficult  part  of  the  wi-iting  of  this  sketch  of 
our  brother  is  the  right  estimate  of  his  character.  We  are 
asked  in  what  his  greatness  consisted.  Although  he  had 
mental  power  above  the  average,  that  was  not  the  secret 
of  his  power.  Although  he  had  fair  executive  ability,  this 
was  not  the  secret  of  his  great  success.  He  went  to  the 
United  States  and  had  extra  advantages  given  him,  so  that 
he  came  back  to  Japan  when  there  were  very  few  among 
his  countrymen  who  had  similar  advantages ;  but  neither 
was  this  the  great  secret  of  his  triumph.  There  was  a 
deeper,  a  more  subtle,  and  more  important  secret  of  his 
success  than  all  these. 

Before  attempting  to  analyze  his  character  I  want  to 
give  a  few  extracts  from  tributes  which  were  printed  in 
Japan  at  the  time  of  his  death ;  also  extracts  from  medi- 
tations found  in  his  note-books  written  in  Europe  and 
America  in  1884-85,  and  others  from  letters  which  he 
wrote  during  the  last  fifteen  years  of  his  life.  These  ex- 
tracts could  be  multiplied  almost  indefinitely. 

Seiran  Onchi,  a  noted  priest  of  the  Shinshu  sect  in  To- 
kyo, sent  a  telegram  first,  and  afterward  the  following  let- 
ter, dated  Tokyo,  January  25,  1890  : 

"  To  the  students  and  family  of  the  late  Mr.  Neesima : 

'^  Having  been  informed  in  the  newspaper  of  the  death 

119 


120  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

of  Mr.  Neesima,  president  of  your  school,  I  am  full  of 
heartfelt  grief.  Since  I  am  a  believer  in  the  faith  of 
Buddhism,  I  stood  opposed  to  him  and  often  attacked  his 
work  with  pen  and  mouth.  But  in  regard  to  his  generosity 
and  prudence  and  great  success  in  spreading  the  morality 
which  he  maintained,  and  his  stirring  the  rehgious  heart 
of  our  people  with  his  zeal,  I  can  have  no  doubt.  I  was 
especially  impressed  with  this  when  I  once  called  on  him 
with  my  friend,  Mr.  Hakuju  Takatsu.  We  had  a  few 
houi's'  talk  with  one  another,  and  I  was  deeply  impressed 
with  the  fact  that  he  treated  us  with  kindness  and  love,  as 
if  we  were  old  friends.  It  seemed  to  me  at  that  time  that 
if  I  was  not  a  believer  in  Buddhism  I  should  have  become 
his  friend  and  accepted  Christianity.  All  who  are  minis- 
ters of  any  religion  must  become  as  he  was.  This  thought 
is  deeply  impressed  upon  my  mind,  and  my  respect  for 
him  constantly  increases  when  I  recollect  my  interview 
with  him.  To-day,  when  I  hear  of  his  death,  his  gentle 
countenance  and  lovely  words  reappear  in  my  eyes  and 
ears,  and  cause  great  sorrow  in  my  heart.  Moreover,  ac- 
cording to  the  newspaper  his  age  is  the  same  as  my  own, 
and  this  fact  deepens  my  feeling.  Though  I  expressed 
my  grief  with  a  telegram,  I  send  this  letter  to  more  fully 
express  my  feeling.'^ 

Count  Katsu  sent  the  following  letter : 

"  I  was  surprised  and  pained  at  the  news  of  Mr.  Neesi- 
ma's  death  which  you  sent  me.  Since  he  was  too  earnest 
in  his  plans,  and  in  too  great  a  hurry  for  the  enlargement 
of  his  work,  I  used  to  advise  him  to  be  careful.  Now, 
hearing  of  his  death,  I  am  in  great  sorrow.  Since  it  must 
be  very  difficult  to  continue  the  great  work  he  has  begun, 
it  is  most  important  to  be  very  careful  and  to  expect  that 
one  difficulty  after  another  will  arise.  To  speak  from  my 
own  experience  hitherto  in  time  of  great  danger,  I  believe 


Tributes  and  Lessons  121 

that  if  we  are  sincere  we  shall  not  have  our  plans  over- 
thrown ;  and  I  have  passed  through  these  twenty  years  as 
if  it  were  one  day.  Planning  for  the  futiu-e  will  be  very 
difficult,  and  there  will  occur  unexpected  difficulties.  For 
the  deceased  master  and  for  you  I  give  this  brief  word  of 
advice  from  an  old  man." 

The  f oui'  following  selections  are  copied  as  published  in 
Professor  Hardy's  "  Life  and  Letters/'  pp.  331  ff . : 

In  the  Woman^s  Magazine  (Tokyo)  Mrs.  T.  Sasaki  gives 
the  following  account  of  an  interview  with  Mr.  Neesima  a 
month  before  his  death : 

"  Mr.  Joseph  Neesima,  the  pole-star  of  our  religion,  the 
founder  of  the  university  in  Kyoto,  died  January  23d,  in 
the  23d  year  of  Meiji,  at  the  age  of  forty-seven.  We  sor- 
row over  his  death,  not  only  on  our  own  account,  but  for 
the  education  of  young  Japan.  He  was  overflowing  with 
love,  full  of  virtue  and  of  the  spirit  of  consecration.  His 
departure  on  the  eve  of  the  completion  of  his  great  work 
is  especially  lamentable.  His  life  is  weU  known  to  the 
world,  and  any  attempt  to  narrate  it  on  the  part  of  my 
unworthy  pen  would  but  mar  the  perfect  gem.  So  I  let 
that  pass,  wisliing  only  to  place  before  you  some  words,  of 
his  which  I  wish  thus  to  preserve  as  an  incentive  to  my 
own  spirit. 

"  About  fifteen  years  ago,  on  his  return  from  America, 
he  preached  frequently  in  Tokyo  and  Yokohama,  and  also 
delivered  several  lectures.  He  deeply  impressed  aU  who 
heard  him,  causing  them  to  look  upon  him  as  the  father 
of  our  people.  I  was  one  of  his  listeners,  and  from  that 
time  tried  to  see  him  as  often  as  I  could.  Gradually  his 
name  became  known,  and  he  recently  set  about  his  plan 
to  estabhsh  a  university.  I  rejoiced  in  his  undertaking, 
and  to  show  my  interest  in  it,  with  other  sisters,  gave  a 


122  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

musical  concert,  the  proceeds  of  which,  a  widow's  mite,  we 
forwarded  to  him.  He  sent  ns  a  letter  of  thanks,  but  we 
felt  unworthy  to  receive  even  this  from  him. 

"  Last  winter  he  came  to  Tokyo.  It  was  on  the  23d  of 
December.  I  had  the  pleasure  of  a  long  talk  with  him. 
His  face  was  gentle,  but  indicative  of  will.  Though  a 
man  of  few  words,  yet  every  one  he  uttered  carried  incal- 
culable weight.  He  received  me  as  a  father  receives  his 
child,  with  overflowing  love,  yet  with  a  delicate  reserve. 

" '  Believing  this  is  the  best  opportunity,'  he  said,  ^  I 
wish  to  ask  a  favor  of  you.  There  is  a  work  to  which  I 
desire  you  to  give  yourself — an  important  one  at  this  junc- 
ture. Among  the  reasons  why  there  are  so  few  great  men 
among  us,  why  national  morality  is  so  low,  I  believe  the 
greatest  to  be  the  existing  inequality  in  the  rights  of  man 
and  woman.  Therefore  the  first  thing  to  impress  upon 
the  minds  of  the  young  girls  in  our  classes  is  the  fact  that 
they  have  individual  rights  and  duties,  that  we  may  thus 
enlist  their  interest  in  the  cause  of  religion.  I  have  seen 
many  girls  who,  after  four  or  five  years  of  study  at  the 
expense  of  much  money  and  sacrifice  on  the  part  of  their 
parents,  enter  married  hfe  to  conduct  themselves  as  if 
they  had  had  no  education.  They  do  nothing  for  society. 
They  are  under  the  rule  of  their  husbands.  They  have  no 
opportunity  to  show  their  abihty,  but  are  condemned  to 
things  in  which  they  have  had  no  schooHng — the  kitchen 
and  the  care  of  children.  This  is  deplorable.  It  is  sad 
that  their  husbands,  in  the  treadmiU  of  petty  conveniences, 
do  not  realize  it.  It  may  be  the  result  of  custom,  but  it 
is  a  hindrance  to  the  progress  of  civilization.  In  matters 
of  social  reform  woman's  influence  is  greater  than  man's. 
Her  power  is  indeed  great.  But  in  our  country  we  still 
find  conservative  and  obstinate-minded  men  who  chug  to 
the  old  order  of  things.     Looking  back  over  my  own  life 


Tributes  and  Lessons  123 

I  find  great  troubles.  A  man  whom  I  thought  my  sincere 
friend,  and  to  whom  I  yielded  my  secret,  turned  out  to  be 
my  enemy.  For  what  I  undertook,  believing  it  to  be  for 
the  best,  I  received  sneers  and  hatred.  There  are  unspeak- 
able troubles  in  our  path.  Equally  gi-eat  are  the  trials 
which  the  women  of  to-day  must  meet.  To  ask  you  the 
favor  of  doing  for  this  cause  may  be  asking  you  to  shorten 
your  life.  But  we  do  not  live  for  selfish  ends,  and  you 
and  I,  being  the  servants  of  God,  do  the  duties  appointed 
for  us.  Therefore  we  must  not  be  surprised  at  the  sneers 
and  evil  tongues  of  the  world,  for  we  must  not  forget  that 
the  greater  the  trials  we  endure  the  greater  shall  be  our 
reward.  This  that  I  now  say  is  foolishness  in  the  judg- 
ment of  the  majority ;  for,  looking  at  the  great  men  of  the 
past,  I  find  that  all  had  to  endure  the  sneers  and  attacks 
of  then'  contemporaries,  and  even  to  sacrifice  life.  No 
wonder  that  Christ  had  to  suffer  the  cross  !  He,  therefore, 
who  wishes  to  be  a  leader  must  be  ready  to  sacrifice  his 
life. 

^^  ^  I  add  one  thing  more,  and  that  is  of  the  Christians  of 
to-day.  Being  fed  and  clothed  by  God,  they  are  just  like 
dead  matter.  This  is  because  they  do  not  understand  the 
words  of  God.  Among  many  sad  things  this  is  the  most 
deplorable.  Even  if  thirty-nine  millions  of  people  become 
nominally  Chiistian,  this  will  not  suffice  to  purify  society. 
This  should  not  be  lightly  thought  of .^ 

"  His  words  pierced  me  through.  Some  time  had  passed, 
so  I  rose  to  leave,  promising  to  see  him  again  with  Miss 
Ushiwoda.  On  my  going  he  presented  me  with  his  photo- 
graph, saying,  '  I  give  you  this  that  you  may  not  forget 
what  I  have  asked  you  to  do.'  Two  days  later  I  visited 
him  with  Miss  Ushiwoda.  Though  very  busy  he  received 
us,  saying  many  things  to  us  which  I  cannot  speak  of  here, 
feeling  my  inability  to  express  his  thought  rightly.     But 


124  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

one  sentence  I  shall  not  forget  so  long  as  I  live.  'Let 
neither  of  you  ever  despair.  Persevere.  Dare  to  become 
reformers,  yea,  the  renewers  of  this  generation,  and  work 
on.'  He  seemed  to  be  greatly  moved  as  he  uttered  these 
words,  and  we  left  him  in  tears.  His  last  words  to  us 
were :  '  This  may  be  the  last  time  I  shall  see  you,  so  please 
pray  for  me  and  for  the  Doshisha.'  We  went  out  of  the 
door  looking  into  his  face,  and  sorrowfully  gained  our 
homes.  From  that  time  we  prayed  daily  for  his  recovery, 
and  for  the  university,  when  unexpectedly  we  heard  the 
sad  news  of  the  23d.  We  did  not  know  even  how  to  la- 
ment, it  was  so  unexpected.  It  was  the  23d  of  December 
when  he  talked  with  us — but  thirty  days  between  these 
two  23ds  !  Who  could  di^eam  that  those  words  were  the 
last  that  he  should  speak  to  us  ?  When  I  look  back  upon 
that  day  I  recollect  that  his  face  showed  traces  of  suffer- 
ing, but  he  spoke  to  us  as  if  he  were  unconscious  of  pain. 
Oh,  his  words  !  Even  now,  though  I  shut  my  eyes,  I  see 
his  face  clearly,  and  I  can  relate  but  little  of  what  he  said, 
for  my  feelings  overwhelm  me." 

In  the  Contemporary  Eeview,  of  which  Mr.  Fukuzawa, 
the  great  educator,  is  editor,  appeared  the  following  edi- 
torial : 

"  It  is  reported  that  Mr.  J.  H.  Neesima  died  of  heart- 
disease  on  the  23d  inst.,  in  a  hotel  at  Oiso. 

"There  is  nothing  more  lamentable  in  human  experi- 
ence. The  death  of  Mr.  Neesima  is  especially  to  be  la- 
mented as  a  loss  to  society.  If  we  examine  the  state  of 
society  we  see  men  attaching  too  much  weight  to  every- 
thing official,  as  if  there  were  no  position  of  fame  or  honor 
outside  of  the  government.  This  is  the  natural  outcome 
of  the  feudal  system.  To  be  a  government  official  is  to  be 
on  the  road  to  sure  success.  And  because  of  this  belief 
the  avenues  of  official  patronage  are  crowded.    In  educa- 


Tributes  and  Lessons  125 

tion  and  religion,  as  well  as  in  politics  and  commerce, 
every  eye  is  turned  toward  the  government  as  the  central 
soiu'ce  of  prosperity.  The  existence  of  this  tendency  is 
disgraceful.  Many  things  go  to  make  up  society,  and 
of  these  government  is  one,  but  not  the  only  one.  In 
the  lower  stages  of  civiHzation  extraordinary  powers  are 
vested  in  those  who  govern.  Such  a  state  of  things  would, 
however,  be  a  blot  upon  this  enlightened  century,  and 
those  interested  in  educational  and  rehgious  movements 
should  aim  at  independence  both  for  themselves  and  these 
enterprises.  But  is  this  the  fact  with  us  to-day  ?  How 
many  men  are  there  among  us  who,  free  from  selfish  in- 
terests, seek  the  true  independence  of  society  ?  Now  and 
then  we  hear  a  remark  on  this  subject ;  but  of  what  avail 
is  it  unless  accompanied  by  individual  illustration  and  ex- 
ample ?  It  is  as  if  a  man  who  himself  drinks  to  excess 
should  preach  temperance  to  others.  Independent  men 
make  an  independent  society.  Mr.  Neesima,  Living  in  a 
corrupt  age,  was  not  corrupted  by  it.  Working  earnestly 
in  the  cause  of  education  and  religion,  his  purpose  was 
ever  single.  He  was  indeed  an  example  of  independence. 
His  body  perished,  but  his  name  is  beyond  the  reach  of 
oblivion.  Many  of  the  coming  generations  will  hear  of 
him,  to  take  heart  and  follow  him.  This  may,  perchance, 
be  a  comfort  to  his  spiiit.  Learning  the  sad  news  of  his 
death,  we  lament  the  loss  to  society  of  a  true  freeman,  and 
present  herewith  our  humble  condolences." 

Mr.  J.  Tokutomi  wrote  in  the  JS'ation^s  Friend,  of  which 
he  is  the  editor,  as  follows : 

"  Lamartine  tells  us  that,  next  to  his  blood,  his  tears  are 
the  most  precious  things  a  man  can  give.  Individually 
we  have  lost  him  to  whom  we  looked,  as  to  a  father  and 
teacher,  for  strength  and  light  and  love — Mr.  Joseph  Nee- 
sima.   As  a  society  we  have  lost  the  leader  of  the  cause  of 


126  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

moral  reformation  in  Japan.  We  have  done  our  best  to 
keep  back  our  tears,  but  in  vain.  It  is  now  no  time  to 
express  our  sorrow,  for  it  cannot  to-day  be  contained  in 
letters  and  words.  Nor  is  this  the  time  to  eulogize  him, 
to  analyze  his  character.  .  .  .  Not  only  brave  men,  but 
those  soulless  waves  which  wash  the  shores  of  Oiso  seem 
to  mourn  for  him.  But  his  spirit  of  consecration  still 
lives,  and  shall  not  we  who  enjoyed  his  personal  teacliing 
take  courage  and  work  on  after  him  in  this  spirit  ? 

"An  elaborate  eulogy,  a  magnificent  funeral,  a  splendid 
monument — these  would  not  please  him.  Far  better  is  it 
for  us  to  do  om-  daily  duty,  to  help  forward  little  by  Httle 
with  our  whole  heart  and  life  the  moral  regeneration  of 
society,  that  our  land  may  be  the  home  of  men  and  women 
loving  liberty,  truth,  charity,  and  God.  This,  indeed,  would 
be  pleasing  to  him ;  and  let  him  who  admires  his  charac- 
ter and  deplores  his  death  think  of  these  things.  You, 
preachers,  make  your  churches  self-supporting.  You, 
teachers,  make  your  schools  training  places  of  character. 
You,  students,  seek  for  the  spii'it  and  energy  of  those  who, 
loving  liberty,  can  contribute  to  their  country's  welfare. 
You,  editors,  proclaim  the  truth  fearlessly,  to  your  enemies 
as  to  your  friends.  And  you,  all  men,  with  all  your  soul 
and  strength,  love  God,  truth,  each  other." 

On  Februar}^  21,  1890,  a  large  audience  gathered  at 
Koseikan,  where  the  great  public  meetings  of  Tokyo  are 
held,  in  commemoration  of  Mr.  Neesima.  The  following 
is  an  extract  from  the  address  delivered  on  that  occasion 
by  Mr.  H.  Kato,  president  of  the  Tokyo  University : 

"You  have  assembled  to-day  to  pay  a  tribute  to  the 
memory  of  Mr.  Neesima.  I  have  been  requested  to  be 
present  and  to  say  something.  I  declined  at  first,  for  I 
never  even  met  Mr.  Neesima,  and  have  had  no  relations 
whatever  with  him.     I  am  not  a  beUever  in  Jesus.     Those 


Tributes  and  Lessons  1^ 

who  have  abeady  addressed  you  are  all,  I  believe,  his  fol- 
lowers. I  alone  am  not  a  Christian  j  neither  am  I  a  Bud- 
dhist. I  am  a  man  of  no  rehgion.  .  .  .  Yet,  being  urged  to 
speak,  I  would  like  to  make  a  simple  statement.  From 
what  I  have  heard  of  Mr.  Neesima  I  know  very  well  what 
kind  of  a  man  he  was — one  greatly  to  be  honored  and  re- 
spected. All  who  have  spoken  unite  in  ascribing  to  him 
an  invincible  purpose.  It  is  this  unconquerable  spirit  of 
his  which  I  honor.  I  do  not  praise  him  because  he  was  a 
Christian.  I  care  not  whether  he  believed  in  Jesus  or  not. 
I  praise  him  for  that  steadfast  spirit  so  essential  in  every 
sphere  of  religion,  learning,  politics,  or  trade.  I  believe 
this  spirit  a  great  necessity  in  this  country,  although  it  is, 
of  course,  everywhere  important.  We  are  a  clever  people. 
Western  nations  commend  us  in  this  respect,  and  they  are 
doubtless  right.  Within  twenty  or  thu'ty  years  we  have, 
in  virtue  of  this  quality  of  smartness,  appropriated  much 
from  the  West.  It  is  a  good  thing  to  be  clever,  but  to  be 
clever  only  is  to  lack  strength.  Cleverness  and  steadfast- 
ness of  purpose  rarely  go  hand  in  hand.  The  former  is 
apt  to  taper  away  into  shallowness  and  fickleness,  and  the 
fickle,  shallow  mind  can  rarely  carry  through  to  its  end 
any  great  undertaking.  While  there  are  undoubted  ex- 
ceptions, yet  I  think  this  is  our  weakness,  that  we  have 
not  the  endurance,  the  indefatigable  spirit,  of  the  men  of 
the  West.  In  the  case  of  Mr.  Neesima,  however,  from  the 
very  first,  when  he  decided  to  go  to  America,  to  the  close 
of  his  life,  this  invincible  spirit  was  conspicuous.  Such 
success  as  he  attained  cannot  be  brought  about  by  mere 
cleverness. 

"We  are  praised  for  the  enormous  progress  we  have 
made  during  the  last  thirty  years.  Many  who,  not  long 
since,  despised  foreigners  as  barbarians,  now  almost  wor- 
ship them.    From  regarding  them  as  beasts  of  the  field, 


128  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

they  have  come  to  consider  them  as  divine.  This  trans- 
formation has  been  wrought  by  the  genius  of  cleverness, 
and  it  is  well  that  it  is  so ;  but  a  more  steadfast  spirit 
would  have  brought  about  the  change  more  gradually.  .  .  , 
Foreigners  criticize  us  for  our  mobility,  and  in  itself  mo- 
bihty  leads  to  no  good  results.  .  .  .  Without  other  quali- 
ties we  cannot  compete  successfully  with  the  West.  Even 
if  in  actual  hand-to-hand  conflict  we  should  conquer,  in 
the  competitions  of  peace  we  should  be  worsted.  For  the 
West  is  not  only  clever,  but  strong.  ...  I  do  not  say  that 
we  are  altogether  destitute  of  this  element  of  strength,  for 
if  this  were  so  the  future  would  be  hopeless.  But  I  do 
say  that  for  the  young  Mr.  Neesima  is  in  this  respect  a 
great  example.  Not  only  those  who  follow  him  in  his  re- 
ligious faith,  but  all — merchants,  statesmen,  scholars — 
should  strive  to  acquire  his  spirit.  It  is  well  to  under- 
stand, in  this  age  of  the  survival  of  the  fittest,  the  neces- 
sity for  this  capacity  to  endure,  and  I  earnestly  desire 
that  more  men  of  his  temper  may  be  raised  up  among  us." 

At  the  same  meeting,  Mr.  Takegoshi,  editor  of  The 
Christian^  said : 

"  In  this  large  audience  of  the  aged  as  weU  as  the  young, 
of  men  and  women  sitting  shoulder  to  shoulder,  there  are 
doubtless  atheists  as  weU  as  Christians,  theists,  Buddhists, 
and  materialists,  and  certainly  many  who  never  knew  Mr. 
Neesima.  Why  have  so  many,  unacquainted  with  him, 
assembled  here  with  those  who  knew  him  so  weU?  To 
honor  his  memory.  And  how  shall  we  do  this  ?  Shall  we 
honor  him  as  president  of  the  Doshisha  ?  The  Doshisha 
University  is  so  firmly  established  that  we  need  not  grieve 
on  its  account.  Shall  we  honor  him,  then,  as  a  Christian  ? 
But  this  atheist,  this  materialist,  and  yonder  Buddhist, 
how  can  they  honor  him  for  that  reason  ?  Why,  then,  are 
we  here  ?    This  great  assembly  has  gathered,  I  think,  to 


Tributes  and  Lessons  129 

commemorate  Mr.  Neesima  as  one  of  the  great  men  of  this 
century,  whose  extraordinary  character  is  the  common 
possession  of  the  people.  It  is,  therefore,  more  fitting  to 
speak  of  him  on  this  occasion  as  a  hero  than  to  relate  the 
history  of  his  work  or  to  tell  the  story  of  his  faith.  And 
there  arises  first  in  our  mind  the  question.  What  is  a  hero  ? 
Man  is  a  being  who  worships  heroes.  The  universe  is  the 
temple  of  hero-worship.  The  history  of  the  thousands  of 
years  since  man  first  inhabited  the  world  is  the  history 
of  this  worship. 

"  Carlyle  asserts  that  the  worship  of  a  false  hero  is  the 
evidence  of  weakness,  and  that  the  homage  paid  to  the 
true  hero  indicates  a  great  people.  Yet  even  great  nations 
often  bow  down  to  the  false  and  fail  to  notice  the  real  hero 
who  lives  and  dies  in  their  midst.  It  is  a  great  and  glori- 
ous thing  for  a  nation  to  recognize  and  appreciate  its  true 
heroes ;  and  if  the  character  of  Mr.  Neesima  satisfies  our 
ideal  of  greatness,  his  fame  is  the  common  glory  of  the 
nation.  If  a  hero  is  one  who  can  command  an  army,  who 
rides  among  flying  bullets  and  glittering  swords,  then  Mr. 
Neesima  was  not  one.  If  a  hero  is  one  whose  eloquence, 
like  a  mighty  wind,  sweeps  away  all  opposition,  or  whose 
fluent  speech  and  practical  tact  insure  success  in  every 
undertaking,  he  was  not  one.  But  if  he  is  the  hero  whose 
life  is  a  poem,  a  lesson  which  can  be  sung,  and  which  is 
capable  of  stirring  the  enthusiasm  of  future  generations, 
then  Mr.  Neesima  may  well  be  given  that  title.  Does  any 
one  charge  me  with  extravagant  praise  ?  I  can  say  only 
what  I  believe.  Often  the  fame  of  great  men  is  larger 
than  the  reality.  The  shadow  is  greater  than  the  body 
itself.  So  that  on  drawing  near  the  reality  disappoints  us. 
For  this  reason  great  men  are  often  compared  to  a  picture 
which  must  be  observed  at  a  certain  distance.  But  this 
is  not  the  case  with  Mr.  Neesima.     Great  as  was  his  fame, 


130  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

when  we  approach  nearer,  to  see  and  speak  with  him,  he 
wins  a  larger  respect.  Those  who  knew  him  personally 
testify  to  his  gentleness  and  meekness.  But  there  burned 
within  him  a  fii-e  of  mighty  power.  It  is  a  very  rare  thing 
to  see  these  two  traits  in  a  single  individual.  A  merely 
good  man  is  often  weak-minded,  while  ability  frequently 
leads  to  rashness  and  imprudence.  Gentleness  and  force 
existed  in  Mr.  Neesima  to  a  rare  degree. 
'•''  In  one  of  his  letters  to  me  he  wrote :  ^  Young  man, 
fighting  once,  do  not  stop  there.  Fighting  the  second 
time,  do  not  stop  there.  Do  not  stop  even  after  fighting 
the  third  time.  Your  sword  shattered,  your  arrows  all 
spent,  yet  do  not  stop  fighting  tiU  every  bone  is  broken 
and  every  drop  of  blood  is  shed  for  the  truth.  Yes,  if  we 
\  do  not  fight  for  the  truth,  is  not  our  life  a  useless  one?' 
These  words  rouse  me  to  action.  When  I  read  them  I  sit 
upright.  Within,  his  spirit  raged  like  the  billow}^  sea,  but 
it  flowed  out  calm  and  peaceful  in  meek  and  gentle  con- 
duct. So  a  mighty  river,  foaming  with  a  power  to  move 
mountains  while  in  its  bed,  when  it  reaches  the  sea  spreads 
tranquilly  over  the  vast  surface  without  a  ripple.  The 
secret  of  this  combination  of  gentleness  and  strength  was 
his  confidence  in  Heaven.  He  intrusted  all  to  God.  He 
used  to  say,  '  The  grasses  do  not  thank  the  spring  breeze, 
nor  the  falling  leaves  complain  of  the  autumn  wind.' 
Autumn  wind  and  spring  zephyr  were  aUke  to  him.  He 
neither  strove  to  win  fame  nor  to  avoid  misfortune.  If 
joy  and  pleasure  came  he  did  not  refuse  them ;  if  they 
passed  by  he  let  them  go  and  did  not  run  after  them.  He 
left  everything  to  its  natural  course.  And  thus  on  his 
death-bed  he  said,  '  I  do  not  complain  to  Heaven,  nor  find 
fault  with  any  man.'  He  began  by  trusting  in  Heaven, 
he  ended  by  enjoying  it.  What  a  sublime  life  !  Nor  did 
he,  like  an  idle  preacher,  think  lightly  of  his  high  calling. 


Tributes  and  Lessons  131 

When  lie  was  in  Kobe  for  his  health,  being  in  Osaka,  I 
went  down  to  see  him.  Forgetful  of  his  own  illness,  he 
conversed  with  me  for  a  long  time,  asserting  that  the  pro- 
gress and  prosperity  of  a  nation  at  any  epoch  was  to  be 
measured  by  the  number  of  its  great  men  ;  and  went  on  to 
speak  of  the  scarcity  of  men  devoted  to  the  cause  of  hu- 
manity. After  an  hour's  talk  he  was  tired  out,  and  fear- 
ing that  he  would  injure  himself  by  so  long  a  conversa- 
tion, I  entreated  him  to  stop.  But  he  would  not  consent, 
and  went  on  speaking  as  if  perfectly  well.  The  transfor- 
mation of  this  self-seeking  world  into  a  realm  of  freedom 
and  righteousness,  where  the  old  should  help  the  young 
and  the  young  care  for  the  aged,  in  which  the  rich  and 
the  poor  should  cease  to  antagonize  each  other,  where  la- 
bor should  have  its  due  reward,  and  peace  and  prosperity 
brood  over  the  entire  community — in  a  word,  the  realiza- 
tion of  the  great  possibilities  of  humanity — this  was  his 
constant  aim.  The  great  enterprise  of  his  life  had  the 
same  end  in  view.  Riu  Gen-Toku  said,  ^Cho-un  is  all 
coui-age.'  So  it  has  been  said  of  Mr.  Neesima,  '  He  was 
all  coirrage,  fire.'  And  this  fire  burned  to  bring  forth  a 
peaceful,  prosperous  nation.  His  tears,  his  prayers,  his 
philanthropy,  yea,  his  sickness  even,  were  all  devoted  to 
his  country.  His  was  a  vocation  ordained  by  Heaven,  and 
to  build  up  on  earth  the  kingdom  of  heaven  he  conceived 
to  be  his  highest  duty.  We  can  readily  understand  now 
why  he  believed  in  himself  and  assumed  so  great  a  re- 
sponsibility. 

"  If  it  be  possible  to  combine  truth  and  humanity,  a  bold 
spirit  and  a  meek  character,  to  show  practically  by  one's 
conduct  what  Christianity  is,  without  help  from  the  dig- 
nitaries of  the  state  or  the  powerful  of  this  world,  Mr. 
Neesima  has  done  so.  He  was  the  Puritan  of  the  nine- 
teenth century.     His  life  is  like  a  poem  which  has  the 


132  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

power  to  thrill  and  awaken.  It  is  a  precept  to  be  fol- 
lowed. Such  a  character  as  his  is  indeed  to  be  respected, 
and  it  is  an  honor  to  the  nation  to  possess  it. 

^^  Ladies  and  gentlemen,  Mr.  Neesima  is  no  more.  As 
a  mortal  man,  as  the  Puritan  of  the  Orient,  the  leader  of 
humanity,  the  man  of  independence,  the  lover  of  children, 
the  teacher  of  the  young,  the  friend  of  woman,  the  com- 
forter of  the  old,  he  is  no  more.  His  body  is  buried,  as 
was  the  body  of  the  thief.  But  he  still  lives.  He  lives 
in  the  memory  of  his  fellow-countrymen,  in  the  cause  of 
truth  and  humanity,  in  the  grateful  thought  of  the  nation. 
You  who  commemorate  him  endeavor  to  follow  in  his 
footsteps ;  consecrate  your  energies  to  make  this  nation 
strong,  upright,  and  noble.  This  is  the  best  way  to  honor 
his  memory." 

The  following  meditations  were  written  in  his  journal, 
July  24, 1884,  while  in  the  Waldensian  Valley,  Italy : 

"There  is  great  danger  of  our  forming  an  opinion  of 
others  by  looking  at  them  in  one  case.  We  should  be 
careful,  because  some  are  quite  deficient  in  one  thing, 
though  they  may  be  quite  efficient  in  other  things.  There 
must  be  some  defect  found  in  a  so-called  perfect  man. 
In  the  first  place,  find  his  temper ;  second,  his  education  j 
third,  his  surroundings ;  fourth,  his  circumstances  or  situ- 
ation in  life  j  fifth,  see  how  he  behaves  in  some  unusual 
case. 

"Never  criticize  too  soon;  surely  we  shall  misjudge 
him.  Judge  him  with  a  Christian  grace.  Never  be  too 
harsh  or  too  minute ;  love  him  as  our  Heavenly  Father 
loves  us.  If  we  have  love  on  our  side  then  we  may  lose 
aU  our  petty,  criticizing  spirit.  Oh,  it  is  a  most  unhappy 
and  unhealthy  thing  to  have  too  critical  eyes  for  others ! 
The  best  way  will  be  not  to  judge  others,  as  our  Lord  has 


Tributes  and  Lessons  133 

taught.  When  we  discover  some  defect  in  others,  take  it 
as  if  it  were  upon  us,  and  try  never  to  repeat  it  again. 
When  we  see  great  success  among  our  brethren  wish 
more  success  for  him.  Never  look  upon  our  dear  brethren 
with  envious  eye.  If  he  is  good  praise  him,  pray  for  him, 
and  follow  his  example.  I  often  observed  that  when 
some  one  heard  good  news  of  his  friend  some  one  would 
say,  'But  he  is  so-and-so,'  instead  of  rejoicing  over  his 
success.  There  is  a  weak  human  nature  prevaihng  every- 
where. There  is  a  great  deal  of  competition  among  edu- 
cated people.  Note:  Be  specially  patient  when  we  are 
sick  or  are  feeling  unhappy." 

It  is  wonderful  to  see  this  man,  who  had  himself  come 
out  of  darkness  only  a  few  years  before,  while  traveling 
in  dark  Italy  alone,  write  down  such  meditations  as  fill 
his  journals  during  those  months.  Here  are  others  of  the 
same  date,  July  24th:  '' Silence. — Silence  is  one  of 
the  virtues.  There  is  much  safety  in  silence.  Wise  men 
never  talk  much ;  as  our  mouth  and  tongue  were  given  to 
use  for  good  purposes,  use  them  for  good  purposes.  Vain 
and  senseless  talking  often  injures  our  reputation  and 
cause  us  to  lose  our  manhood.  I  often  noticed  uneasi- 
ness and  chaff-like  element  in  some  vain,  talkative  men. 
There  is  something  noble  and  secure  in  silence.  Silence 
is  a  manly  forbearance.  A  man  of  silence  is  a  blessing  to 
a  family  or  to  a  society.  Silence  ought  by  no  means  to 
be  combined  with  a  bitter  countenance,  but  with  a  cheer- 
ful countenance.  Vain  talking  often  disturbs  affairs  in  a 
family  or  in  society,  but  silence  heals  it.  We  can  easily 
weigh  a  man  of  vain  talk,  but  we  could  not  easily  measure 
the  depth  of  the  mind  of  a  wisely  silent  man.  But  do  not 
keep  silence  if  we  can  by  talking  do  much  good  to  others 
or  for  the  truth.     Oh,  how  large  a  portion  of  our  talk  we 


134  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

spend  for  vain  things  of  the  world,  and  how  little  for  the 
truth !  When  a  word  goes  out  of  our  mouth  it  is  like 
spilled  water  on  the  parched  soil — there  is  no  possibility 
of  taking  it  back  again ;  what  is  said  is  said  j  it  becomes  a 
fact  of  our  lives  for  which  we  must  give  account  in  the 
future.  But,  above  all,  let  us  not  harbor  evil  thoughts, 
for  evil  thoughts  are  the  mainspring  of  evil  and  vain 
talking." 

Same  date:  "Poor  creatures!  we  plan  much  and  do 
very  little.  Our  plans  are  often  defeated  by  something.'^ 
Same  date :  "  Receive  others  patiently.  If  any  one  imi- 
tates a  hero,  let  him  be  so;  receive  him  well.  If  any 
brother  do  not  behave  as  he  ought,  let  us  wait  for  some 
occasion  to  drop  a  kind  word,  so  as  not  to  offend  him. 
Never  send  away  a  brother  in  Christ  when  he  comes  and 
seeks  our  friendship.  Bear  the  evils  of  others  for  God's 
sake,  for  he  bears  our  evils  patiently.  He  does  not 
correct  us  furiously,  at  once,  but  uses  many  occasions  to 
heal  us  and  takes  many  years  to  sanctify  us.  But  let  us 
by  no  means  neglect  our  duty  toward  others.  Look  at 
the  ocean,  how  beautiful  it  looks !  Yet  it  must  receive 
many  filthy  matters  from  the  shores ;  it  receives  and  puri- 
fies them.  We  shall  be  happy  men  if  we  can  be  like  it. 
Be  minute  for  ourselves  in  everything,  but  when  we  come 
to  deal  with  others  let  us  be  careful  not  to  offend  them 
with  a  close  calculation." 

Same  date:  "Don't  be  Jack-at-all-trades.  In  passing 
through  some  country  towns  I  notice  that  there  are  ever 
so  many  things  spread  and  shown  in  shops,  but  when  I 
closely  examined  each  article  I  found  that  each  kind  is 
rather  scanty.  It  is  well  for  us  to  be  widely  informed  on 
many  subjects,  but  do  not  imitate  these  country  shops — 
many  articles,  with  a  scanty  supply  of  each.  We  ought 
to  be  well  posted  at  least  in  one  subject  of  the  profes- 


Tributes  and  Lessons  135 

sional  studies.  It  will  be  a  rich  treat  to  us.  Success  in 
our  life  will  chiefly  hang  upon  it.  Let  this  be  our  offensive 
or  defensive  weapon  on  the  battle-field  of  truth.  Though 
our  talent  may  be  small,  yet  it  is  solid  and  weighty.  Be 
single-minded  for  a  single  purpose.  We  shall  sooner  or  later 
reach  our  mark.  Never  shoot  our  arrows  into  the  air ; 
aim  at  an  object  surely,  and  then  let  it  go.  If  we  miss, 
then  repeat  the  process  again  and  again  until  we  can  sat- 
isfy ourselves.  I  never  knew  a  single  case  of  a  talented, 
puffed-up,  yet  unsettled-minded  man  having  accomplished 
anything  noteworthy." 

Same  date:  ^' Never  miss  a  rare  occasion  to  do  good.   : 
Let  our  guns  be  always  loaded.    When  we  meet  our  game,  . 
aim  at  it  and  shoot  it  instantly,  for  our  game  will  never  j 
wait  for  us.     When  we  meet  any  occasion  to  do  good  to 
others,  then  don't  let  it  go.     Don't  wait  for  to-morrow  j  . 
do  it  at  once,  for  we  may  never  have  the  occasion  again.  | 
To  shoot  wild  game  is  a  mere  pleasure,  but  to  shoot  men  ' 
for  our  Master  is  a  grave  business.    Let  our  guns  be  first 
loaded  with  living  powder  and  bullets  from  on  high,  and 
be  always  ready.     Many  hunters  of  men  carry  th(;ir  guns 
unloaded ;  this  explains  the  reason  why  Christ's  kingdom 
among  men  does  not  spread  faster." 

Same  date,  July  24th :  "At  my  sick-bed.  The  Divine 
Fire. — Many  Christian  ministers  may  have  highest  cul- 
ture, and  may  write  their  sermons  with  much  skiU  and 
thought — beautifully  executed  work,  like  a  Grecian  mar- 
ble statue.  Alas !  there  is  no  heat  in  it.  Heat  must  be 
caused  by  fire ;  if  there  is  no  fire  in  the  sermon  to  heat 
the  hearers'  hearts  it  is  a  serious  affair.  This  fire  can 
only  be  got  by  daily  seeking.  Those  who  depend  very 
much  upon  their  talent  and  knowledge  are  very  apt  to 
forget  to  seek  this  much-needed  divine  fire  for  themselves, 
as  weU  as  for  their  hearers.     How  cold  such  a  heart  must 


136  Joseph  Hardy  Neesuna 

be  to  a  congregation !  If  each  professing  Christian  has 
this  divine  fire  Christ's  kingdom  will  come  much  faster. 
O  Heavenly  Father,  give  us  this  fire  !  However  small  we 
may  be,  if  we  have  genuine  fire  we  shall  consume  even 
the  whole  world.  How  small  a  spark  of  fire  burned  up  a 
vast  forest  in  Canada !  How  small  a  lamp-hght  consumed 
two  thirds  of  the  great  city  of  Chicago  !  Sometimes  one 
may  make  an  artificial  fire  in  imitation  of  the  divine  fire, 
but  his  hearers  will  sooner  or  later  detect  it ;  it  is  a  mock 
fire.  God  will  not  bless  such.  Oh,  let  the  divine  fire  be 
burning  within  us  always  !  " 

Same  date:  "Man's  Greatness. — Man's  greatness  is 
not  simply  in  his  learning,  but  in  his  disinterestedness 
in  seK.  Those  with  much  learning  are  apt  to  be  more 
selfish  than  the  unlearned.  Let  us  look  at  Christ  on  the 
cross.  He  is  our  example.  Oh,  how  noble,  how  grand, 
how  gracious  he  seems  to  us !  Let  us  forget  self,  and 
offer  ourselves  freely  for  the  cause  of  truth  and  good.  Let 
us  also  be  truly  penitent  and  humble.  I  caU  this  man's 
greatness." 

The  above  meditations  were  written  in  one  day,  when, 
after  going  up  on  a  mountain  excursion  from  Rosa  in  the 
"Waldensian  Valley,  he  says :  "  We  passed  one  night  in  the 
mountain  house.  I  sent  my  thick  coat  and  shawl  with 
a  donkey,  and  the  donkey  did  not  come  that  evening.  I 
had  to  go  without  my  shawl ;  I  slept  under  the  hay — un- 
comfortable." The  result  was  that  the  next  day,  July  22d, 
he  had  a  fever,  and  it  took  him  two  days  to  get  back  to 
Rosa  again.  His  entry  for  the  next  day  after  his  return, 
July  24th,  is :  "I  was  quite  unweU ;  called  Dr.  Vala ;  he 
gave  me  quinine  once  in  two  hours."  Yet  on  this  day, 
"  at  my  sick-bed,"  he  wrote  the  meditations  above  given. 

Here  follow  other  meditations  from  his  journal:  "A 
Thought  for  Preaching. — Suppose  the  future  Judge 


Q 

m 

g 


Tributes  and  Lessons  137 

of  the  moral  world  comes  down  now  and  summons 
each  of  us  to  appear  before  him,  and  uncovers  aU  our 
past  deeds  before  the  congregation,  how  many  of  you 
will  dare  to  step  forward  and  get  all  your  deeds  eternally 
penned  upon  the  walls  of  the  sacred  edifice,  to  be  read  by 
each  of  you  ? " 

"HuiviAN  Happiness. — God  gave  us  a  sense  of  happi- 
ness so  that  we  might  be  truly  happy.  It  is  right  for 
us  to  feel  happy  when  anything  is  given  us  from  him. 
Let  us  be  happy  for  the  daily  bread  we  receive,  happy  for 
pleasant  circumstances,  good  home,  good  friends,  pleasant 
situation,  etc.  But  all  the  earthly  happiness  will  become 
as  nothing  at  aU  when  we  are  permitted  to  step  through 
the  gate  of  Paradise  and  catch  the  glory  of  the  Lamb  of 
God,  who  caused  the  gate  of  heaven  to  be  opened  to  us ; 
let  us  aim  at  this  happiness  j  this  only  is  abiding." 

^^ Promises. — Fulfil  your  promises  promptly;  never 
postpone  until  to-morrow,  for  we  may  not  see  it,  or  may 
be  f  uUy  occupied  with  something  else ;  then  we  shall  have 
no  occasion  for  excusing  ourselves  for  the  delay.  It  is  a 
sort  of  weakness  and  sham  for  a  man  to  make  aU.  sorts  of 
apologies  to  another  j  let  yea  be  yea  and  nay  be  nay.  Do 
or  not  do.  Never  be  sluggish,  and  never  leave  business 
half  done." 

"Business  Character.— The  Italians  appear  to  be 
polite,  but  they  lack  business  character.  They  are  easy 
and  like  to  be  easy.  They  would  rather  postpone  their 
business  if  they  can.  They  will  not  move  unless  they  are 
pushed  by  some  one.  Do  your  business  promptly  when 
it  is  required  to  be  done.  Do  not  waste  your  time  by 
talking ;  do  it  at  once  and  it  is  done.  Try  to  talk  what 
we  mean,  but  never  talk  anything  which  we  do  not  really 
mean  in  our  heart.  It  is  a  moral  weakness  to  say  what 
we  do  not  really  mean.      Straightforwardness  can  be 


138  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

found  mostly  among  tlie  Anglo-Saxon  races,  English  and 
Americans." 

"  Roughness  and  Politeness. — A  rough  manner  with 
a  kind  heart  is  far  more  preferable  than  a  petty 
politeness  with  no  least  meaning.  Japan  is  one  of  the 
politest  nations  in  the  world,  but,  alas !  their  heart  is  far 
from  it.  Artificial  politeness  became  the  national  habit. 
This  is  not  the  result  of  true  sincerity.  Politeness  ought 
to  be  a  necessary  exponent  of  true  love  and  kindness,  but 
politeness  without  a  least  meaning  is  a  sort  of  deception. 
Remember  that  we  are  always  naked  before  Him  who 
never  slumbers  nor  sleeps." 

'^Watchfulness. — Watch,  pray,  and  be  prepared  for 
the  Master's  call.  We  know  not  when  he  will  come, 
whether  in  the  fii*st  watch,  the  second  watch,  the  third 
watch,  or  the  fourth." 

"A  Policy  for  Our  Training  School. — Let  us  be 
like  an  unpolished  diamond ;  never  mind  the  outward 
rough  appearance  if  we  have  a  shining  part  within. 
Let  these  three  factors  be  our  perpetual  mottos :  1.  Christ 
as  our  foundation-stone.  2.  Well-qualified  instructors. 
3.  Well-selected  library  and  thoroughly  equipped  appara- 
tus. Those  three  factors  will  be  true  and  shining  parts 
of  our  training-school.  Too  much  of  brick  and  mortar 
does  not  suit  my  humble  taste.  I  am  terribly  craving 
for  the  inner  polish  that  will  be  a  glory  of  our  school ; 
that  will  certainly  command  the  respect  of  the  thoughtful 
Japanese  more  than  brick,  stone,  and  mortar." 

"The  True  Hero-worshiper. — Most  of  the  Japan- 
ese will  be  hero-worshipers ;  they  are  a  hard  set  of  peo- 
ple to  be  managed,  except  by  a  hero  to  whom  they  can 
look  up.  Yet  they  are  very  easy  to  be  led  away  by  a 
hero.  They  are  moved  with  the  sensational  currents  of 
the  hero's  opinions.     There  is  a  lack  of  individuality  in 


Tributes  and  Lessons  139 

them.  Most  of  the  hero-worshipers  will  be  always  colored 
by  the  same  tint  as  the  hero  himself.  The  weak  point  is 
that  they  do  not  rise  above  their  hero.  If  the  hero  makes 
a  mistake  or  failure  in  his  career  they  will  do  the  same. 
If  the  hero  falls  they  wiU  fall  likewise.  The  matter  has 
been  so  with  us  when  we  examine  our  history  closely. 
You  wiU  also  find  that  there  has  been  no  hero  in  Japan 
who  has  done  aU  for  unselfish  ends.  He  is  apt  to  be  more 
selfish  than  the  common  mass  of  the  people.  If  their 
mind  could  be  directed  toward  the  Hero  of  heroes,  the 
greatest  the  world  has  ever  produced,  I  am  sure  it  would 
revolutionize  the  future  of  Japan.  He  is  far  above  Soc- 
rates and  Confucius,  yet  he  is  a  friend  of  the  poor.  He 
is  far  above  Alexander  and  Napoleon,  yet  he  shed  his  own 
blood  for  the  people,  instead  of  shedding  the  blood  of 
hundreds  of  thousands  of  innocents  for  his  own  gratifica- 
tion. He  had  no  selfish  aim  in  his  life ;  he  was  perfectly 
holy  and  yet  perfectly  simple ;  he  had  no  place  to  rest  his 
head,  yet  he  sat  from  eternity  on  the  throne  of  the  uni- 
verse. If  the  Japanese  are  bound  to  worship  heroes,  let 
them  worship  this  Hero,  the  Hero  of  heroes."!  His  wor- 
shipers will  also  be  tinted  with  the  one  best  color,  that  is, 
the  color  of  godliness.  Within  this  bound  there  is  an 
ample  scope  for  freedom ;  man  can  choose  any  professions 
except  bad  and  harmful  ones.  In  following  and  worship- 
ing him  we  shaU  obtain  the  true  human  liberty ;  we  shaU 
certainly  have  our  individuality.  Oh,  how  I  long  that 
our  people  should  turn  their  attention  to  this  Hero,  who 
is  far  above  weak  humanity !  " 

"Questions. — Is  there  any  one  in  the  world  who  is 
altogether  above  selfish  ambition?  How  can  he  know 
himself  that  he  is  perfectly  free  from  that  ?  How  can  we 
know  that  such  an  one  is  free  from  it  ?  Is  there  also  any 
one  who  is  perfectly  free  from  the  slightest  deception? 


140  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

Could  ever  deception  be  eradicated  from  civilized  society  ? 
How  many  of  us  could  say  to  God  that  I  have  lived  my 
life  without  the  slightest  ambition  or  deception?  Has 
any  one  ever  seen,  or  could  we  ever  expect  to  see,  such  a 
perfect  type  of  humanity  among  the  race  of  Adam,  except 
the  Son  of  God?  It  is  too  foolish  to  entertain  such  a 
question.  But  I  would  like  to  meet  a  person  of  the  above 
description." 

"A  Best  Method  of  Teaching. — If  I  teach  again 
I  will  pay  a  special  attention  to  the  poorest  scholar 
in  the  class  j  then  I  shall  succeed." 

In  a  letter  from  Tokyo,  March  24,  1878,  he  closes  as 
follows :  "  Pray  for  me,  so  that  I  may  be  directed  entirely 
by  His  hand."  After  an  absence  in  Tokyo,  on  his  return 
he  writes  : 

"Kyoto,  Monday  morning,  July  21,  1879. 

^^  I  arrived  in  Kobe  yesterday  at  5  p.m.,  and  passed  the 
last  night  in  Nishinomiya.  I  might  have  returned  home 
last  night,  but  lest  I  should  break  the  Sabbath  I  stayed  at 
the  above-mentioned  place.  I  came  home  this  morning  a 
little  after  nine  o'clock.  I  have  not  seen  Mr.  Yamamoto 
yet,  but  I  don't  believe  the  present  difficulty  is  very  serious. 
We  have  the  strong  God  to  depend  upon.  I  trust  he  wiU 
make  the  matter  aU  right." 

During  the  revival  at  the  time  of  the  Dai  Shimboku- 
kwai,  or  General  Conference,  in  Tokyo,  he  writes : 

«  Tokyo,  May  11,  1883. 
"  Dear  Brethren  in  Kyoto  : 

"  I  am  anxious  to  write  a  few  lines  to  inform  you  how 
the  Lord  blessed  us  in  our  Dai  Shimbokukwai.  We  com- 
menced it  on  Tuesday,  with  a  one-hour  prayer-meeting. 
It  was  the  most  impressive  meeting  I  ever  attended  in  my 


Tributes  and  Lessons  141 

life.  A  spirit  of  union  was  greatly  manifested  in  that 
meeting ;  then  followed  the  busiaess  meeting ;  Mr.  Miya- 
gawa  was  elected  chairman.  In  the  afternoon  we  had 
reports  of  the  delegates ;  it  was  a  most  enjoyable  part  of 
the  conference.  I  can  assure  you  that  the  Lord  blessed 
us  far  more  than  we  asked  for." 

f  When  he  had  heard  news  affecting  the  Doshisha  which 
^eatly  troubled  him,  he  writes  from  Dorchester,  Mass., 
March  22, 1885  :  "  We  shaU  be  in  a  hard  fix  then.  I  know 
not  what  to  say,  but  I  can  only  state  to  you  that  I  am  on 
my  hiees.  I  hope  I  shall  get  a  further  light  upon  this 
serious  subject."  In  the  same  letter  he  speaks  of  the 
great  trials  and  difficulties  of  the  past,  and  says,  "  I  often 
wonder  how  I  ever  came  through  those  deep  muds  of  the 
past ; "  but  he  adds,  "  I  received  the  sustaining  courage  and 
strength  from  the  unseen  Hand ;  "  and  again  at  the  close 
of  the  same  letter :  ^^  Recently  I  learned  something  from 
experience :  when  I  meet  any  serious  or  alarming  case  I 
keep  myseK  standstill — not  to  be  frightened  by  themj 
afterward  they  pass  off  all  right."  Again,  when  serious 
misunderstanding  had  arisen  in  regard  to  Mr.  Neesima's 
action,  and  a  letter  had  been  sent  to  him  which  he  calls 
"  the  most  insulting  letter  I  ever  received  in  my  life,"  he 
writes  from  Milford,  Del.,  in  regard  to  it,  April  20,  1885 : 
"  I  am  sorry  to  say  that  his  letter  is  thrown  into  the  waste- 
basket.  When  I  read  it  I  said  within  myself,  ^What! 
have  I  lost  a  sense  of  honor  ? '  but  I  knelt  right  down  for 
God's  grace  to  preserve  me  in  his  hand.  I  am  all  right 
now ;  please  don't  mention  it  to  any  one."  "  I  thank  God 
for  his  ever-sustaining  grace  to  me.  Each  trial  and  each 
difficulty  draws  me  nearer  to  his  hand ;  he  sustains  me 
and  helps  me  far  beyond  what  I  can  ever  know  or  dis- 
cover.   Pray  for  me  that  I  may  be  ever  nearer  to  him." 


142  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

May  26,  1885,  he  closes  a  long  letter  of  ten  pages,  written 
from  Boston,  which  is  full  of  plans  for  the  school  and  for 
the  spreading  of  the  work  in  Japan,  with,  "  Pray  for  me 
that  I  may  rest  in  the  Lord."  When  starting  for  Tokyo 
in  August,  1875,  to  try  and  get  permission  to  start  the 
Doshisha,  he  closes  his  letter  with  the  words,  "  Pray  for 
my  success." 

By  the  advice  of  the  mission,  Mr.  Neesima  spent  the 
summer  of  1887  in  Sapporo,  on  the  island  of  Yezzo,  and 
while  there  he  heard  the  news  of  Mr.  Hardy's  serious  ill- 
ness, which  came  by  cablegram  to  him.  He  writes  to 
Mrs.  Hardy:  "July  30,  1887.  Mr.  Hardy's  letter  inform- 
ing me  of  the  action  of  the  prudential  committee  was  re- 
ceived here  with  a  grateful  heart.  Alas  !  the  intoxication 
of  this  joy  was  soon  dampened  by  the  telegram  telling  me 
of  his  serious  illness.  I  had  some  fear  of  it  since  receiv- 
ing your  last  letter.  How  greatly  I  am  troubled  I  can 
scarcely  state  here.  I  wish  we  could  have  some  sort  of 
medium  to  convey  our  messages  every  hour.  Oh,  how 
anxiously  I  feel  about  him !  He  has  sown  with  us,  and 
I  earnestly  wish  he  could  reap  much  more  fruit  here  in 
Japan  with  us  before  he  departs  in  peace.  Besides,  I  do 
own  a  real  affection  for  him,  and  think  I  love  both  of 
you  more  than  my  own  parents.  I  am  begotten  of  you  by 
your  love.  Pure  love  kindles  love  of  the  same  kind. 
Noble  affection  binds  us  much  firmer  than  some  natural 
ties.   I  wish  I  could  appear  before  him  even  in  his  dream.'^ 

After  hearing  of  Mr.  Hardy's  death  he  writes :  "  August 
24th.  I  am  all  confused  when  I  attempt  to  write  to  you. 
I  have  many  things  to  say  to  you  concerning  Mr.  Hardy's 
departure  for  another  world.  But  when  I  attempt  to 
write,  alas  !  I  find  everything  chaotic.  I  sit  by  my  table, 
I  hold  my  pen — but  I  can  do  nothing  further.  Of  course 
I  know  that  our  Heavenly  Father  wished  him  to  come  to 


Tributes  and  Lessons  143 

the  blissful  heaven.  I  know  we  must  submit  all  our 
affairs  to  his  hand.  I  know,  also,  Mr.  Hardy  may  be  far 
better  off  than  in  this  troublesome  world  j  but  I  miss  him 
very  much — I  feel  quite  lonely.  I  feel  my  real  father  is 
gone ;  yea,  he  has  been  to  me  more  than  my  father.  I 
believe  that  he  knew  me  more  than  all  my  Japanese 
friends  here.  I  have  lost  the  friend  of  Japan.  My  heart 
is  darkened  like  the  total  eclipse  which  so  recently  hap- 
pened here.  Cheerfulness  and  brightness  are  suddenly 
disappeared.  Alas,  the  total  darkness !  The  aii'  is  chilled, 
the  temperature  is  fallen.  This  solar  eclipse  lasted  only 
for  a  while,  but  my  heart's  eclipse  may  last  as  long  as  I 
live.  I  cannot  finish  even  these  few  lines.  I  am  too 
sensitive  just  yet.  Besides  this  sensitive  feeling  I  have 
another — my  sympathy  with  you.  You  must  miss  him 
beyond  measure.  His  cheerful  voice  cannot  be  heard  any 
more.  My  heart  aches  in  your  behalf.  However,  I  rejoice 
with  you  that  when  he  departed  from  you  he  must  have 
commanded  you  to  trust  and  rely  upon  another  Arm,  ever 
strong  and  everlasting.  I  will  try  and  write  you  much 
oftener  than  before,  but  at  present  I  find  it  a  hard  task  to 
write  to  you.'' 

"  September  4th.  It  is  quite  rainy  this  afternoon.  I 
am  undisturbed  by  any  visitor ;  my  heart  turns  to  Boston. 
My  reflection  about  you  and  Mr.  Hardy  is  taking  hold  of 
my  heart  very  strongly.  This  is  the  fifth  Sabbath  since 
he  left  us,  but  with  him  it  must  be  the  continual  Sabbath. 
We  who  are  left  behind  weep  and  mourn,  but  he  rejoices. 
All  the  mysteries  here  may  be  no  longer  any  mysteries  to 
him.  How  grand  that  must  be !  While  I  am  sadly  miss- 
ing him,  and  at  the  same  time  cheered  by  the  idea  of  his 
most  holy,  happy,  and  blessed  state,  I  have  a  mixture  of 
contrary  feelings.  We  all  feel  we  have  lost  the  father  of 
the  Japan  mission.     Some  sent  me  telegrams  to  console 


IM  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

my  sorrow,  others  wrote  me  letters  to  express  their  own. 
Now  we  have  got  to  go  on  without  his  advice  and  sup- 
port. At  this  critical  hour  I  simply  cry  out,  ^  God  help 
us !  ^  I  would  like  to  write  you  some  things  I  have  ob- 
served in  this  island.  At  present  I  have  no  courage  to  do 
so.  I  have  received  your  letter  telling  me  of  his  most 
loving  memorial  to  me.  Now  I  must  say  what  a  touching 
thing  it  is  that  he  should  remember  me  so  far  away  as  he 
did.  I  shaU  never,  never  forget  it.  Through  God's  help 
I  will  try  to  follow  his  example.  Doubtless  your  letter 
was  written  with  many  tears.  So  it  is  with  mine.  My 
heart  is  stiU  burning  with  all  sorts  of  plans  for  our  work. 
But  my  wife  is  a  constant  guard  to  check  me  and  take 
away  my  control.  She  works  like  a  pohceman  to  remove 
my  pens  and  papers,  and  requests  visitors  to  cease  their 
conversation.  I  told  her  that  I  cannot  hide  mj^self  any- 
where in  Japan  now,  and  I  am  thankful  for  it." 

After  the  physician  had  told  him  of  the  serious  nature 
of  his  heart-disease,  he  wrote  Mrs.  Hardy  from  Tokyo, 
July  4,  1888 : 

"  Allow  me  to  send  you  my  compliments  for  this  glori- 
ous day  of  your  nation.  I  came  here  on  the  11th.  My 
wife  is  with  me.  She  is  a  sort  of  policeman  over  me, 
watching  lest  I  overdo.  Though  I  am  slightly  gaining,  I 
believe  I  shall  never  get  well  again.  My  doctor  says  my 
heart  is  enlarged  and  will  never  resume  its  original  size, 
and  that  at  any  time  my  bodily  life  may  cease.  Of  course 
I  bore  it  rather  bravely,  but  to  my  wife  it  seemed  almost 
unbearable.  She  was  warned  to  keep  it  a  secret  from  me. 
But,  poor  creature  !  she  could  not  keep  her  secret.  I  tried 
to  comfort  her,  and  told  her  all  my  future  expectation. 
However,  I  found  it  a  hard  work  to  quiet  down  my  own 
sensitive  feelings.  Since  then  she  stays  with  me,  and 
does  not  give  me  a  chance  to  write  much.     Just  now  I 


Tributes  and  Lessons  115 

sent  her  away  a  few  mmutes  in  order  to  write  this  letter. 
Though  I  am  absolutely  prepared  to  resign  my  future 
into  the  tender  hand  of  the  Heavenly  Father,  yet  when  I 
think  of  you — all  my  past  affaii-s — youi-  motherly  and  un- 
ceasing love  comes  at  once  to  my  memory,  and  I  weep  like 
a  babe.  I  disUke  to  pass  off  suddenly  without  a  good-by 
to  my  dear  friends.  Therefore,  though  it  may  be  useless 
to  inform  you  of  such  a  matter  beforehand,  I  should  be 
sorry  to  leave  this  world  without  sending  you  my  last 
farewell,  with  my  unspeakable  thanks  for  all  you  have 
done  for  me.  I  owe  you  all,  and  have  nothing  to  pay 
back  but  my  thanks  and  daily  prayers  for  you.  If  I  fail 
to  send  you  my  last  farewell  by  reason  of  passing  off  sud- 
denly, as  my  doctor  described  to  me,  please  regard  this  as 
my  last  word  to  you.  I  wish  I  could  write  as  I  feel,  but 
I  cannot  express  myself  at  all.  I  trust  you  can  guess  at 
it.  What  I  cannot  say  I  hope  I  shall  say  in  another  world. 
With  regard  to  my  tender  feeling  to  my  dear  wife  and 
aged  mother  you  may  sympathize  with  me.  You  know, 
also,  how  much  I  am  interested  in  our  Kyoto  schools  and 
the  Gospel  work  throughout  this  island  empire.  I  am 
willing  to  leave  all  these  interests  behind.  I  am  thankful 
for  what  has  been  done  for  my  beloved  country.  What 
now  shall  I  hope  or  expect  to  receive  ?  As  you  know,  I 
have  a  desperate  plan  and  will  to  make  our  Kyoto  school 
a  Christian  university.  For  this  cause  I  came  to  Tokyo. 
For  this  cause  I  became  ill  and  fainted  away.  For  this 
cause  I  am  still  staying  here.  However,  I  am  very  care- 
ful. I  fear  I  cannot  write  you  much  hereafter.  If  I  pass 
off  I  hope  you  will  not  feel  too  sorry.  I  fear  this  may 
not  be  a  very  complimentary  letter  to  receive  on  your 
Fourth  of  July.  But  so  long  as  I  am  prepared  to  resign 
myself  to  His  hand,  I  like  to  teU  my  sympathizing  mother 
and  ask  for  her  prayers  for  my  soul.     My  wife  has  re- 


146  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

turned  and  warns  me  to  stop.  Wliat  I  write  here  is  not 
revealed  to  her.  Please  keep  this  secret  from  other  peo- 
ple. I  am  still  hopeful  to  live,  but  am  prepared  to  go 
also." 

The  following  are  translations  of  some  of  the  poems 
which  Dr.  Neesima  wrote  on  different  occasions.  The 
fii'st  is  one  composed  two  days  before  he  left  Japan  the 
first  time : 

"  One  suit  of  rough  clothes  and  a  sword  of  three  feet 
long  I  have ;  when  I  turn  my  head  and  look  at  the  affairs 
of  the  world,  I  feel  rather  depressed  in  my  heart.  Man 
has  by  nature  an  aspiration  for  a  great  journey.  Unless 
I  travel  through  the  great  cities  of  the  five  continents  I 
will  not  take  my  rest." 

The  next  was  composed  when  he  reached  the  China  Sea 
after  he  left  Japan :  ^'  If  man  be  determined  in  his  mind 
to  run  away  a  thousand  miles,  he  expects  to  have  to  en- 
dure great  sufferings,  and  why  can  he  be  anxious  about 
his  home?  But  how  strange!  In  the  night,  when  the 
spring  wind  is  blowing,  in  a  dream  he  sees  flowers  in  the 
garden  at  home." 

Here  follow  three  poems  composed  on  the  journey  when 
he  went  to  America  the  second  time : 

"  The  feeling  aroused  by  parting  duiing  life  is  stronger 
than  that  of  parting  in  death.  Wlien  we  are  parting  from 
each  other  how  can  our  hearts  be  light  and  jubilant  ?  A 
traveler  to  the  Western  land  in  nightly  dreams  sees  a 
school  by  the  side  of  the  river  Kamo  "  (in  Kyoto). 

"  Even  an  iron  steamer  seems  to  know  the  feeling  of 
departure ;  for  it  moves  slowly  toward  the  West,  breaking 
the  waves.  The  ferry-boat  which  conveyed  me  is  dis- 
appearing in  the  evening  mist.  When  I  look  at  Mount 
Rokko  in  the  far  north,  the  scene  is  gloomy  and  dark." 

"  For  ten  years  I  cherished  the  hope  of  a  foreign  trip  in 


Tributes  and  Lessons  147 

vain.  At  length  I  am,  to-day,  outside  of  my  native  land. 
Flowers  in  Paris  may  be  beautiful,  the  moon  in  London 
may  be  fair,  but  in  my  dreams  I  search  after  the  people 
by  the  side  of  the  Shokoku-ji."  (The  river  Kamo  is  near 
Doshisha,  and  Shokoku-ji  is  the  name  of  a  large  grove 
just  back  of  the  school.) 

Miscellaneous  Poems. 

"  The  serpent-like  criticism  of  the  world  I  do  not  mind 
at  all.  For  thousands  of  years  I  will  lie  patiently  in  the 
great  marsh.  Behold,  when  there  come  great  winds  and 
clouds  I  will  fly  to  the  top  of  Mount  Fuji." 

"Though  I  am  sickly  myseK,  how  can  I  be  without 
anxiety  in  my  heart  1  With  patience  I  expect  to  see  suc- 
cess. Being  dihgent  we  must  pohsh  our  spirit  as  a  gem. 
The  light  of  God  does  not  yet  shine  in  this  land  of  the 
mikados." 

"Cease  to  say  that  human  affairs  are  all  dangerous. 
"Wherever  there  is  justice  there  is  the  will  of  Heaven.  If 
my  faith  be  as  a  mustard-seed  I  can  change  the  mulberry- 
field  to  the  blue  sea  and  the  blue  sea  to  the  field."  Here 
follow  two  poems,  one  composed  as  he  was  about  leaving 
Japan  the  first  time,  and  the  other  w^hen  he  returned  to 
Japan : 

"  The  aspiration  of  a  knightly  man  is  like  a  maple-tree 
on  Mount  Tatsuta.  He  will  not  come  back  without  wear- 
ing glorious  clothes." 

"A  glorious  cloth  to  decorate  the  fatherland  is  hidden 
in  the  box,  because  it  is  not  time  to  wear  it." 

Dr.  Neesima  had  a  deep  vein  of  humor  in  his  nature. 
In  June,  1875,  the  first  time  I  went  to  Kyoto  with  him  to 
look  at  the  land  for  the  Doshisha,  we  visited  the  San  Jiu 
San  Gen  Do,  a  Buddhist  temple,  where  are  a  thousand 
life-size  wooden  images.    As  we  walked  among  them,  Dr. 


148  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

Neesima  said  with  a  laugh,  "  These  images  are  just  fit  to 
keep  poor  students  warm  in  the  winter."  A  missionary 
once  sent  a  very  cheap  kakemono,  or  wall  picture,  to  a 
friend  in  America.  When  Dr.  Neesima  was  in  the  United 
States  the  last  time  he  visited  this  friend,  and  was  shown 
this  article,  over  which  a  great  deal  more  ado  was  made 
than  the  article  warranted ;  he  was  asked  to  explain  it, 
and  he  told  the  missionary  who  sent  it,  after  he  returned 
cO  Japan,  "  I  read  all  the  characters  except  the  price-mark ; 
I  thought,"  said  he,  with  a  twinkle  of  the  eye,  "  you  would 
be  willing  I  should  omit  that."  Only  a  day  or  two  before 
he  died,  when  his  wife  and  one  or  two  other  friends  were 
changing  his  clothes,  and  causing  him  to  groan  with  the 
severe  pain,  ^'  Oh,  how  you  hurt,"  he  said  with  a  groan  j 
and  then  added,  "This  is  the  first  time  I've  ever  been 
stripped  by  good  people." 

Dr.  Neesima  told  one  of  our  number  the  following  in- 
cident of  his  early  boyhood.  His  father  was  rather  strict 
with  him,  and  one  day  whipped  him  severely  on  his  hand ; 
this  made  him  very  angry,  so  that  he  sulked  and  would 
not  speak  to  his  father ;  so  after  a  day  or  two  his  f ath  .x* 
called  him  to  the  little  garden,  pointed  to  a  delicate  bam- 
boo, called  the  sasa,  and  recited  this  poem  :  "  Nikunde  wa 
utanu  mono  nari;  sasa  no  yuki" — "I  do  not  strike  in 
anger;  snow  on  the  sasa."  As  snow  bends  and  almost 
breaks  the  delicate  sasa,  we  must  tap  it  gently  so  that  it 
will  rise  erect  again.  By  this  Dr.  Neesima  felt  touched, 
knowing  his  father's  love  for  him,  and  he  ceased  his  sulks. 
When  Dr.  Neesima  began  the  study  of  the  Dutch  language 
in  Tokyo  he  needed  a  dictionary,  but  he  had  no  money ;  so 
he  opened  his  father's  money-drawer,  took  out  eight  yen, 
and  put  in  its  place  a  paper  saying  he  had  taken  it  and 
would  replace  it  some  time ;  when  the  money  was  missed 
and  the  paper  found  Dr.  Neesima  said  that  he  had  bor- 


Tributes  mid  Lessons  149 

rowed  it,  and  that  he  had  to  run  in  debt  two  yen  more  to 
get  the  dictionary  J  whereupon  his  father  gave  him  the 
balance  of  two  yen. 

Miss  Isabella  Bird  describes  her  visit  at  Dr.  Neesima's 
home  in  her  "  Unbeaten  Tracks  in  Japan,"  vol.  ii.,  pp.  232- 
235.  She  says :  '^  Mr.  Neesima  is  a  gentleman  to  begin 
with,  and  has  quiet,  easy,  courteous  manners.  He  is  a 
genial,  enlightened  Christian  and  an  intensely  patriotic 
Japanese.  He  gives  a  sad  account  of  the  lack  of  truth 
and  the  general  corruption  of  morals  among  his  country- 
men. I  asked  him  what,  in  his  opinion,  are  the  leading 
faults  of  his  countrymen,  and  he  replied,  without  a  mo- 
ment's hesitation,  ^  Lying  and  licentiousness.' " 

Dr.  Neesima  was  present  at  the  opening  of  a  branch 
Sabbath-school  in  a  large  pottery  in  the  southern  part  of 
the  city  of  Okayama  in  the  fall  of  1880,  and  was  invited 
to  preach  the  fii'st  sermon.  In  it  he  emphasized  the  need 
of  being  pure  in  heart,  and  told  of  seeing  in  America  a 
beautiful  and  costly  Japanese  vase  which  the  gentleman 
had  recently  purchased.  He  admired  and  praised  the 
workmanship  to  the  gentleman's  satisfaction,  but  when 
asked  to  explain  the  designs  he  hung  his  head.  "  There," 
said  he,  "  were  the  signs  of  our  country's  shame ;  the  de- 
signs were  too  \dle  to  be  told." 

Dr.  Neesima's  character  contained  the  principle  of  love 
to  a  marked  degree.  He  had  strong  love  for  his  friends, 
and  it  was  a  love  which  was  broad  as  well  as  deep.  He 
deeply  loved  the  students  of  his  school,  and  this  love  was 
universally  reciprocated  by  the  students.  He  loved  them 
so  much  that  it  almost  broke  his  heart  to  have  any  of 
them  leave  the  school  on  account  of  dissatisfaction,  or  to 
have  to  send  any  one  out  of  the  school  as  a  punishment. 
He  could  hardly  bear  to  exercise  discipline  in  the  school. 
On  one  occasion,  during  the  earlier  history  of  the  school, 


150  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

some  grave  offenses  had  been  committed,  and  yet  Dr.  Nee- 
sima felt  that  the  school  was  partly  to  blame  or  such  things 
would  not  happen,  and  instead  of  punishing  the  offending 
students  he  said  the  Doshisha  must  be  punished  j  so  one 
morning  at  prayers  in  the  chapel  he  stated  those  convic- 
tions to  the  school,  and  said  that  he  was  going  to  punish 
the  Doshisha  and  he  could  do  it  in  no  other  way  than  by 
punishing  the  head  of  the  school ;  and  so,  taking  a  stout 
withe  in  his  right  hand,  he  struck  his  left  hand  a  succes- 
sion of  blows  which  brought  the  tears  to  every  eye  in  the 
house  before  one  of  the  older  students  could  interfere  to 
stop  him.  In  all  his  connection  with  the  school  I  never 
heard  a  student  say  anything  against  him,  and  I  never 
knew  that  one  did  so. 

Dr.  Neesima's  love  for  the  members  of  his  own  mission, 
and  for  all  the  foreign  workers  in  Japan,  was  very  strong, 
and  they  loved  him  in  return.  His  earnest  yet  simple  and 
unassuming  ways  won  all  hearts  and  begat  a  love  which 
no  discussions  or  difference  of  opinion  interrupted.  He 
had  the  love  and  respect  of  all  the  foreign  workers  in 
Japan  who  knew  him,  and  he  had  no  more  sincere  mourn- 
ers at  his  death  than  the  large  company  of  foreign  friends 
of  different  missions  who  gathered  at  the  memorial  ser- 
vices in  Kyoto  and  in  other  places. 

Another  trait  was  peace.  He  tried  as  much  as  in  him 
lay  to  live  in  peace  with  aU  men.  He  was  ready  to  yield 
his  own  view ;  this  was  almost  a  fault  with  him.  He  was 
sometimes  too  ready  to  yield  to  the  opinions  of  others. 
During  all  the  years  of  his  connection  with  the  school  as 
its  president  and  head,  he  never  once,  so  far  as  I  know, 
set  up  his  opinion  against  that  of  the  teachers ;  he  always 
yielded  and  worked  in  harmony  with  them.  He  was  al- 
ways ready  to  yield  any  point  which  he  felt  was  not  con- 
trary to  the  great  aim  of  his  life )  when  that  was  at  stake 


Tributes  and  Lessons  151 

the  wliole  world  could  not  move  him.  He  was  generally 
a  joyful,  cheerful  man.  His  strong  faith  and  hope  kept 
him  in  an  atmosphere  of  joy.  So,  too,  we  might  speak  of 
his  long-suffering,  gentleness,  and  goodness  5  also  of  his 
faith ;  in  the  darkest  hours  his  faith  in  God  and  in  ulti- 
mate success  only  seemed  to  grow  stronger. 

His  meekness  was  remarkable.  He  was  from  the  fii'st 
the  head  of  the  school,  and  yet,  during  all  those  years,  he 
kept  himself  in  the  background  and  never  insisted  on  his 
rights  as  president.  It  was  hard  work  to  get  him  to  take 
the  president's  seat  on  the  platform  in  the  chapel. 

When,  however,  we  go  deeper  and  seek  the  mainspring 
of  these  graces,  we  find,  as  the  Apostle  tells  us  in  Galatians 
V.  22, 23,  that  they  were  aU  the  "  fruit  of  the  Spirit."  The 
mainspring  of  Dr.  Neesima's  character,  and  the  secret  of 
his  great  success,  was  in  his  union  to  God  in  Christ 
through  the  Spirit.  He  felt,  with  Paul,  "  I  can  do  all 
things  through  Christ  who  strengtheneth  me." 

It  is  difficult  to  analyze  the  great  secret  of  his  power 
and  success,  but  we  may  mention  a  few  points : 

1.  Loyalty  to  duty.  As  soon  as  he  gained  an  idea  of 
God  he  felt  Kis  obligation  to  him,  and  he  began  to  dis- 
charge it ;  and  as  the  months  and  years  went  on  and  his 
vision  of  duty  broadened,  his  sense  of  obligation  broad- 
ened with  it,  and  efforts  to  discharge  that  obligation  kept 
pace  with  his  enlarging  vision. 

2.  He  took  a  great  aim  and  one  which  was  in  harmony 
with  God's  great  aim.  He  did  not  take  a  low  aim,  he  did 
not  take  a  selfish  one ;  he  took  for  his  aim  the  establish- 
ment of  a  great  Christian  university,  for  the  sake  of  lift- 
ing up,  so  far  as  he  could,  through  that,  his  whole  nation 
toward  God  and  a  Christian  civilization.  The  results  of 
that  school  are  abeady  changing  the  history  of  the  empii*e. 

3.  He  had  a  holy,  absorbing  ambition  to  realize  his 


152  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

great  aim.  He  counted  not  his  life  dear  to  him  if  he 
could  accomplish  his  great  object.  When,  a  few  years 
before  he  died,  the  question  was  raised  of  his  going  to  the 
United  States  a  third  time  to  try  and  secure  money  for 
the  endowment  of  the  university,  and  his  physicians  told 
him  it  would  be  almost  certain  death  for  him  to  go,  he 
repHed  that  that  would  make  no  difference  with  him  if  he 
felt  that  by  going  he  could  secure  the  money.  His  going 
to  Tokyo  and  working  during  the  last  months  of  his  life 
were  done  in  a  similar  spkit.  He  wanted  to  die  in  the 
harness,  and  he  did. 

4.  He  committed  himself  and  his  great  plan  and  all  its 
details  to  God,  with  a  firm  faith  that  God  would  give  him 
success.  He  never  seemed  to  waver  even  in  the  darkest 
days.  In  the  last  English  letter  which  he  wrote  this  faith 
shines  out.  After  speaking  of  the  gift  of  $100,000  for  the 
Scientific  School,  just  as  Professor  Shimomura  was  ready 
to  return  to  his  work  in  the  school,  he  says :  "  Is  it  not 
wonderful  that  when  he  was  about  ready  to  come  home 
the  way  to  make  himseK  useful  was  opened  before  him  ? " 
And  then  in  that  letter  he  teUs  of  his  "day-dream  to 
found  a  Christian  college,"  and  how  he  received  no  human 
encouragement  j  but  he  says :  "  However,  I  was  not  dis- 
couraged at  all ;  I  kept  it  within  myself  and  prayed  over 
it."  Then  the  night  before  he  made  his  appeal  for  money 
at  Rutland  he  could  not  sleep,  and  says :  "  I  was  then 
like  that  poor  Jacob,  wrestling  with  God  in  my  prayers." 
Then  later,  when  he  took  up  the  larger  work  of  founding 
a  university,  he  says  in  the  same  letter :  "  I  have  a  full 
hope  that  my  vague  day-dream  for  a  Christian  university 
will  sooner  or  later  be  realized,  and  in  some  future  we 
shall  find  occasion  to  give  thanks  to  Him  who  has  led  us 
and  blessed  us  beyond  our  expectation." 

5.  His  heart  was  greatly  interested  in  direct  mission 


Tributes  and  Lessons  153 

work.  Deeper  than  all  other  thoughts,  more  important 
than  all  other  plans,  was  the  thought  and  the  planning  to 
bring  the  millions  of  Japan  to  Christ.  This  was  funda- 
mental to  his  whole  plan  for  a  Christian  college  and  uni- 
versity. 

When  the  writer  visited  him  for  an  hour  in  Ikao,  where 
he  rested  in  great  weakness  during  the  summer  of  1888, 
he  was  no  sooner  seated  than  Dr.  Neesima  said,  "  I  have 
something  I  want  to  show  you  j  "  and  he  went  to  the  ad- 
joining room  and  brought  out  a  map  of  the  province  of 
Joshu,  and  on  it  he  had  marked  every  place  where  there 
was  a  church,  every  place  where  the  Gospel  was  regularly 
preached,  and  other  places  for  which  he  was  praying  and 
planning  to  secure  evangelists.  He  had  no  greater  sor- 
row during  the  closing  years  of  his  life  than  that  which 
came  from  the  fewness  of  those  from  among  the  graduates 
of  the  collegiate  department  of  the  Doshisha  who  prepared 
themselves  to  preach  the  Gospel  directly.  He  was  often 
ready  to  weep  over  it  as  he  spoke  of  it,  and  he  wept  as  he 
prayed  over  it. 

He  begins  his  round-the-world  diary  in  1885  in  the  fol- 
lowing words :  "  April  6th.  Went  on  board  the  '■  Khiva ' 
at  Kobe,  accompanied  by  my  wife  and  other  friends.  I 
separated  from  my  wife  with  prayer,  committing  her  to 
the  care  of  my  Father  in  heaven,  upon  whom  she  can  rely 
far  better  than  upon  myseK."  "April  7th,  Monday.  Prayer 
for  theological  students."  "  April  8th.  Came  to  Nagasaki 
6.30  A.M.  5  pray  for  fifth  year  •  "  and  so  on,  day  after  day, 
we  read,  "  Pray  for  vernacular  class,"  "  Pray  for  theolog- 
ical class."  He  carried  this  intense  desire  for  workers  to 
be  raised  up  to  reap  the  waiting  fields  of  Japan  around 
the  world  with  him,  and  presented  this  object  in  earnest 
prayer  to  God  every  day. 

He  always  let  his  Christianity  be  known  j  as  has  been 


154  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

mentioned  on  previous  pages,  his  first  work  when  he 
reached  his  native  land  was  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  the 
people  in  liis  old  province  of  Joshu ;  he  did  it  so  earnestly 
that  it  has  brought  forth  an  abundant  harvest.  His  first 
work  when  he  came  to  Kyoto,  in  1875,  was  to  start  a 
religious  service  in  his  house  on  the  Sabbath,  where  he 
preached  Christ  to  a  little  company  of  men  and  women. 
Dr.  Neesima  was  always  and  everywhere  known  as  an 
earnest  Christian ;  the  impression  of  him  among  his  coun- 
trymen was  well  voiced  by  a  high  official  who  remarked, 
when  Dr.  Neesima  had  persisted  in  holding  firmly  to  his 
Christian  principles,  "WeU,  you  are  a  slave  of  Jesus 
Christ,  are  you  not ! " 

Dr.  Neesima  spent  the  summer  months  of  1885,  while 
in  the  United  States  and  far  from  well,  at  West  Golds- 
borough,  Me.,  a  retired  country  place.  On  July  28th  he 
wrote  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hardy  as  follows:  "I  went  to 
church  here  last  Sunday.  After  service  I  asked  for  the 
Sunday-school.  To  my  surprise  the  reply  was  negative. 
I  thought  it  too  strange  and  too  bad  that  these  young 
folks  should  grow  up  here  without  it.  A  thought  came  to 
me  at  once,  Why  cannot  we  start  a  Sunday-school  here  ? 
I  proposed  to  a  lady  here  that  we  should  offer  oui'selves 
as  teachers.  I  thought  I  would  not  show  forth  myself  as 
the  originator  of  the  idea,  and  tried  to  put  the  preacher 
forward  to  execute  it.  He  was  most  too  glad  to  do  so. 
I  took  the  responsibility  of  getting  the  Sabbath-school 
papers  for  them,  because  I  had  no  least  doubt  you  wiU 
take  a  share  in  the  work  and  get  others  interested  in  it." 

Professor  Hardy  says  ("Life  and  Letters"):  *'In  his 
subsequent  letters  from  Japan,  when  burdened  with  many 
cares,  and  feeling  the  hand  of  death  not  far  from  him, 
Mr.  Neesima  asks  again  and  again,  '  How  is  my  Sunday- 
school  getting  along  ? ' " 


Tributes  and  Lessons  155 

What,  then,  are  the  lessons  of  this  life  to  us  who  re- 
main? 

1.  Let  us  realize  that  still 

"  God  moves  in  a  mysterious  way 
His  wonders  to  perform." 

The  age  of  miracles  of  physical  healing  may  be  past,  but 
we  have  before  us  the  fulfilment  at  the  present  day  in 
the  world  of  the  Saviour's  promise,  "  Greater  works  than 
these  shall  he  do ;  because  I  go  to  my  Father."  The  won- 
derful calling  of  Dr.  Neesima  twenty-six  years  agoj  his 
preparation ;  the  bringing  of  Captain  Janes  to  Japan  and 
the  training  of  the  band  of  men  who  should  be  associated 
with  Dr.  Neesima  to  make  his  school  and  his  work  a  suc- 
cess ;  the  bringing  to  this  land  of  the  missionaries  who 
should  be  associated  with  him  in  that  work  5  the  planting 
of  the  school  in  Kyoto,  in  the  midst  of  the  great  prejudice 
and  opposition,  and  its  success  as  it  stands  before  the 
world  to-day,  is  as  great  a  miracle  as  any  recorded  in  the 
Old  Testament  or  the  New,  if  we  except  the  miracle  of  our 
Saviour^s  incarnation  and  atoning  work.  It  is  simply  in- 
conceivable that  all  these  improbable  things  should  hap- 
pen, and  that  they  should  come  together  at  just  the  right 
time,  simply  by  chance. 

2.  Let  us  aU  grasp  the  fact  of  the  greatness  of  the 
work  which  God  used  our  brother  to  begin.  When  God 
called  Abraham  out  of  his  native  country  to  go  into  a 
strange  land,  he  had  a  great  pm-pose  and  work  to  accom- 
plish through  him.  God  does  not  work  such  wonderful 
deeds  as  this  sketch  contains  mthout  having  a  great  plan 
and  purpose  to  accomplish  through  them.  We  can  see 
already  that  the  Doshisha  is  changing  the  history  of 
Japan ;  and  if  the  plan  of  our  brother  can  be  carried  out 
this  school  will  be  one  of  the  greatest  factors  in  the  civil- 


156  Joseph  Hardy  Neesima 

ization  and  Christianization  of  Japan.  But  if  this  is  to 
be  the  result  then  all  the  friends  of  the  school,  foreign 
and  Japanese,  must  realize  the  greatness  of  the  sacred 
trust  wliich  they  have  inherited  from  its  beloved  presi- 
dent, and,  with  a  similar  love  and  faith  and  hope  and 
patience,  they  must  hold  the  school  true  to  the  great  pur- 
pose of  its  founder :  not  education  for  its  own  sake,  but 
education  for  the  sake  of  God's  glory  and  the  salvation  of 
men. 

3.  We  may  learn  that  self-denial  for  Christ  is  the  great- 
est gain  for  self  j  that  he  "  who  would  be  great  must  be  a 
servant :  and  that  he  who  would  be  first  must  be  servant 
of  aU.'^  God  takes  care  of  the  man  who  is  loyal  to  him, 
loyal  to  his  own  conscience,  loyal  to  duty,  loyal  to  right. 
The  happiness  and  final  success  and  glory  of  that  man 
follow  of  necessity,  because  it  is  a  part  of  the  eternal 
nature  of  things,  and  because  God  will  sooner  or  later 
put  his  approving  smile  upon  that  man  and  upon  his 
work.  Dr.  Neesima's  name  will  be  remembered  on  earth 
long  after  the  names  of  many  so-called  heroes  are  for- 
gotten, and  his  place  in  heaven  Tsdll  be  above  that  of  every 
man  who  has  sought  his  own  glory. 

4.  Let  us  remember  that  just  as  Dr.  Neesima's  life  was 
a  plan  of  God,  so  every  man's  life  may  be  a  plan  of  God. 
If  we  will  but  put  ourselves  in  God's  hands,  to  be  led  and 
used  by  him,  and  work  with  God  and  let  God  work  with 
us,  we  shall  work  in  harmony  with  God,  we  shall  work 
with  God,  and  our  power  and  ability  will  be  multiplied 
by  an  infinite  factor,  so  that  God  only  can  measure,  and 
eternity  alone  can  reveal,  the  results  of  our  life-work. 
"  The  good  man  does  better  than  he  knows  !  '^ 

"  Blessed  are  the  dead  who  die  in  the  Lord."  Dr.  Nee- 
sima rests  from  his  labors,  and  his  works  follow  him. 


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